My Best Enemy's Baby
by Casey Stardust
Summary: Hermione finds Ron in bed with Lavender Brown during their graduation party and takes her revenge by sleeping with the enemy. Unfortunately, in their drunken state neither Hermione nor Draco think to cast a contraception charm.
1. Revenge

**A/N:** Hey Guys, This is my first fic ever, so let me know what you think. If it's terrible and no-one wants to read it that's fine! haha, just be honest in you're reviews!! If people like then I will keep going. I just felt like writing something, so here it is....

My Bestenemies Baby

All credit for the title goes to Shingalala, thanks heaps :o)

**Summary:** Hermione finds Ron in bed with Lavender Brown during their graduation party and takes her revenge by sleeping with the enemy, unfortunately in their drunken state neither Hermione nor Draco think to cast a contraception charm.

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. Never was, never will be. Sad, I know!

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Chapter One

"Uuugghh..." Hermione groaned as she woke up with sunlight shining happily in her eyes. Happy was the last thing Hermione was feeling, what with the killer hangover and the hazy memories of the previous night. She groaned as she recalled last night's events.

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_***Flash Back***_

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"Hey... Harry..." Hermione grinned at her friend as she slurred her words together.

"Mione, you ok?" he laughed, never having seen her drunk before tonight... the seventh year graduation party.

"Never better! Have you seen Ronald anywhere? I can't find him" Ron and Hermione had been dating for almost 3 months now.

"I think he went up to bed already" Harry supplied.

"What? That's silly! It's our gradution, haha, grad-u-a-tion party! He can't go to bed already! I'll go get him" Hermione grinned before stumbling off towards the boys dorms.

When she reached the dormitory she saw that Ron had his drapes closed and that there was no sound of his normal snoring or loud breathing coming from behind them, she thought that that was odd and maybe he wasn't there but she went over to the bed and pulled open the heavy cloth to reveal that her boyfriend was indeed in bed, but he was not alone!

There, panting underneath him, was Lavender Brown! At first the scene didn't register in her brain, when it did, her jaw dropped and she stood there for a second before turning away and walking from the room in complete shock, before either of them noticed her presence.

They did get a bit confused when they had finished and they noticed that the bed hangings were open slightly, but they assumed they just hadn't managed to close them all the way in the heat of the moment.

When Hermione got downstairs she still had a completely shocked look on her face but everyone in the common room were to occupied to notice her dazed expression. She just kept walking, and walking through the school corridors hoping to find something, anything, to distract her.

And distraction came, strutting down the hall like he owned the world, bottle of firewhisky in hand.

"Granger" he drawled. "You're looking lovely this evening" he said with a sneer as he gave her a once over.

"Fuck you, Malfoy" Hermione said half heartedly

"You want to fuck me, Mudblood?" he smirked.

And then Hermione had an idea, she grinned, what better way to get back at her cheating good for nothing boyfriend then fucking his worst enemy?

"Maybe" she said coyly biting her lip seductively.

Malfoy was so shocked that his surprise momentarily showed on his face before he masked it with his trademark smirk.

"I wouldn't say things like that Granger, I may just take you up against a wall before you even have time to think 'no'" he growled. Hermione could tell he was slightly flustered and was shocked... he wanted her!

"Sounds like a plan to me" she said taking a step closer so that she was only standing about half a foot away from him. "And I wouldn't be thinking no" She whispered her butterbeer scented breath wafting over him.

That's when he lost control of his calm facade and slammed her against the wall his mouth covering hers. He pulled his lips away from hers for a second.

"I've wanted to do this for long" He groaned breathlessly against her lips.

She heard the firewhisky bottle hit the floor he grabbed a handful of her hair tilting her head up for better access. Her lips parted instantly when she felt his hot tongue sweep across them and suddenly it was plunging inside her mouth tasting and licking. It wasn't like any kiss she had ever had. She moaned against his lips and the sound caused Malfoy to press himself harder against her so that she could feel every angle of his body and his growing arousal was pressed against her stomach.

She dragged his bottom lip through her teeth and ground herself against his erection. He pulled away from her lips, resting his forehead against hers, he panted, catching his breath. She did it again and he groaned, grabbing her behind and lifting her so she could wrap her shapely legs around his waist, his erection now pressing against her core causing her breath to catch.

He kissed her again and she ran her hands through his fine silky hair as their tongues battled for dominance. She slipped her hands from his hair and ran them down his neck she kept going until she reached the middle of his shirt which she then ripped open, buttons flying everywhere. She spread her hands over his defined chest ran them up over his shoulders and down his chiselled abs.

Draco slipped a hand between them as they kissed passionately and pushed his hand, fingers splayed, up her thigh until he came to her panties which he pushed aside to plunge a finger inside her. She broke the kiss panting hard and moaned at the feeling of his digit pushing into her. He added another finger and gently rubbed her clit with his thumb, it felt amazing, her head fell back against the wall as she struggled to keep her breathing regular, she ground her hips against his hand trying to feel him as deep as possible.

Her breath hitched and she started panting even harder as she felt a coil of heat in her centre, an occasional whimper or moan forcing its way through her lips. He worked her faster and a wave of pleasure crashed over her making her vision blurry and a heavy moan fell from her lips as Malfoy reclaimed them with his own.

When she had recovered from her first orgasm of the night she reached between their two bodies and hastily tried to undo Malfoy's pants, after her hands had stumbled for a bit she finally got them undone Malfoy supported her weight with his hands as he pulled his hips away from her so that she could push down his trousers, along with his silky black boxer shorts.

She took his long hard length in her hand and pumped it once swirling her thumb around his head spreading a drop of pre-cum over it, he moaned and his hips bucked. She positioned him at her entrance and he immediately pushed into her hard and fast. The feeling of his hot length inside her so soon after coming down from orgasm was enough to have the heat curling inside her again and she pushed her hips against him trying to bring him deeper inside of her.

Malfoy wasn't going to last long, his thrusts were already becoming erratic, and as she came for the second time, he came with her; her slick walls milking his cock as he spilled his seed deep inside her.

He collapsed on the ground too weak to do anything else after coming so forcefully. He kissed her again, this time slower and, if possible, even more passionately. They lay there kissing lazily as they recovered their bodies racked with the aftershocks of their pleasure making. Once they were sufficiently recovered, they dressed and sat against the wall, passing the bottle of firewhisky between them silently.

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_***__End Flashback***_

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_

That was the last she could remember of the previous evening, and most of that was a bit hazy.

She flung her arm up to shield her eyes, and it was then she realised that she wasn't in her own room.

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**A/N:** Ok, so how did I do?? Please let me know!

If I get positive reviews then It will probably convince me to update sooner.

Critisism is welcomed though so don't hold back :o)

Again, thankyou Shingalala for coming up with the title :o)


	2. Onboard the Hogwarts Express

**A/N:** Thankyou everyone for the reviews! They really made my day :o)

I have a poll up on my profile about this story, so if you all want to go and answer one simple little question that would be great!!

If not, thats fine also!! haha.

anyway.... here goes chapter two, hope you all enjoy it as much as you seemed to like chapter one! (thanks again for the reviews).

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything! (as you all know very well!)

Chapter Two

_...and it was then she realised that she wasn't in her own room...  
_

She sat bolt upright, and immediately regretted it when her head spun and her stomach lurched.

When her vision cleared and her stomach settled she opened eyes slowly and took in her surroundings, the room was identical hers only it was in the wrong colours, this room was painted green while hers was red. She was in Malfoy's room, _When did she come here?_ She couldn't remember, mind you she could remember much after collapsing exhausted to the floor, after she _fucked Malfoy._ _In the corridor! _She groaned.

A sudden silence let her know that the shower had been running. Her heart rate sped as the door from the bathroom – her bathroom – opened and Malfoy stepped out wearing nothing but a towel slung low on his hips. Her face flushed.

"Good morning" He purred, she noticed his eyes lingering hungrily on her breasts and she realised belatedly that she wasn't dressed. She squealed and pulled the doona up over herself, embarrassed. Malfoy chuckled.

"Nothing I haven't seen already Granger" She blushed at his words and struggled to pull the sheet up from where it was tangled at her feet, and wrapped it around herself. She stood slowly, not trusting her legs to hold her up, and managed to find most of her clothes – her knickers were nowhere to be seen, but she had a very vague memory of giggling as malfoy ripped them off with his teeth – she made her way to where Malfoy stood in the doorway to the bathroom that connected the two heads rooms.

"Excuse me, Malfoy" She said as primly as she could in such a state. She cleared her throat lightly, "I'll just be going now."

"Oh no" Malfoy grinned, and blocked the doorway "Not with my sheet, that would be theft Granger" He leered at her.

Hermione stared at him, he couldn't be serious? "Malfoy. Just get out of my way."

"Drop the sheet Granger." He smirked, clearly enjoying himself.

Fed up with his game, she sighed and figured that it wasn't anything he hadn't seen – and touched – already, so she let the sheet fall the ground. Malfoy looked stunned, he hadn't thought she would actually do it, and in his shock he just stepped aside and let her move past him into the bathroom without anymore taunting.

As she entered her room and turned to close the door she saw Malfoy drop his towel to the ground, his erection jutting out huge and proud from his body. She flushed at the sight, and it wasn't just her face that got hot. She whimpered.

_***On the Hogwarts Express***  
_

Hermione had studiously avoided Malfoy during the last few days of school, averting her eyes in the corridors if she couldn't find a way to take a different route. She was glad that it was the end of school and she wouldn't have to see him again, ever, hopefully.

The day after the graduation party she had broken up with Ron, and when he denied ever cheating on her she slapped him and told him what she had seen. No one questioned her about her whereabouts that night, assuming she had gone to bed upset.

The funny thing was, she couldn't bring herself to care, a few days earlier and she had thought that she and Ron would be together forever, and now she didn't even feel the slightest bit sad about their breakup. She was angry for sure, but who wouldn't be after being cheated on, but she wasn't upset or heartbroken, at all!

She was doing her rounds of the train, her last ever job as head girl, when she got roughly pulled inside one of the compartments.

"Wha..." She managed to get out before she was pushed against the door and a pair of warm soft lips descended on hers. She pushed against his chest. "What are doing Malfoy, get off me."

"Think you could leave without saying goodbye Granger?"

"I can do whatever I want. Now let go of me!" She hissed

"Oh, I think I know what you want" He smirked and pushed himself against her.

"You know nothing about me Malfoy." She hated herself for the way her voice shook.

"I know that you like it when I kiss your neck like this" He leaned down and spoke the words against her skin before placing soft kisses from her collarbone upwards until his tongue darted out and licked the sensitive skin behind her ear. She shivered, her knees weak and her head fuzzy.

He swept his lips along her jaw, breathing in the clean scent of her skin, and moved them over hers so they were just brushing. When she didn't push him away he spoke.

"Tell me what you want." He breathed against her slightly parted lips. She moaned quietly and her eyes fluttered closed. Taking this for an answer he pushed his lips harshly against hers and forced his tongue her mouth the moment they parted. After a few moments, Hermione drew back, catching her breath. Malfoy's lips never left her skin, moving from her lips to her jaw and down to her neck sucking lightly on her pulse point. She groaned.

"Malfoy. stop. We can't do this." She said breathlessly trying to squirm away from his roaming mouth.

"Oh?" He breathed against her skin. "And why's that?" he asked, his voice husky and his eyes glazed with lust. He resumed his kissing and nibbling his tongue occasionally flicking out to taste the salt of her skin.

"I, we, you. Can't. uh." She tried to get a sentence out. "I have to do rounds" She finally managed.

"They can wait" He slipped his hand up her shirt and lifted her breast in his hand squeezing softly and brushing his thumb against her taut nipple, covered only by the thin silk of her bra.

"Malfoy." She half breathed, half groaned his name. "Stop, I'm serious" She pushed against him hard and he moved back a step, which was just enough for her to quickly turn and rush from the compartment, ignoring his protests - and the heat pooling between her legs.

Forgetting all about the excuse she gave Malfoy about finishing her rounds she found a compartment and collapsed on the seat, her face flushed and her lips swollen.

She didn't know what was happening to her, why was she so attracted to Malfoy? She hated him. She repeated it in her head like a mantra _'I hate him, I hate him, I hate him.'_ As though she was trying to convince herself of the fact. She had never felt such a burning desire for Ron, and she had been just as intimate with him, if not more so. She should have felt like this with Ron not with Malfoy!

She sighed and turned to stare out the window at the world rushing past. At least she wouldn't have to see him after this.

**A/N:** So how was it??

I better get extra reviews for updating so quickly!! *grins hopefully*

Like I said in my authors note for the first chapter, I don't mind critical reviews, in fact I would really appreciate them if they noted specific points in my writing that could be fixed, so that I can improve my writing skills!!!

The next update might not be for a few days as I have exams next week and I also want to make the next chapter longer than the first two. So please be patient! (although If I got enough reviews it might encourage me to type faster *winks* haha!)

Oh yeah, I would also be able to update sooner if people vote on my poll, as the next chapter will different depending on what people say! Until enough people vote I won't able to complete the next chapter! please go take a look! :o)


	3. Surprise!

**A/N:** So I managed to get this written sooner than I thought I would, I hope I havn't rushed it too much. If you notice any spelling or grammatical mistakes, let me know and I will fix them up (same goes for all my chapters and stories!)

Thankyou everyone who reviewed the last chapter! I hope this chapter meets your expectations!

**Disclaimer:** Not mine! (Can someone tell me if we actually have to write a disclaimer?)

**Chapter Three**

_***Four Weeks Later***_

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"Shit!" Hermione said, panicking as she looked down at the plastic stick. "Fuck."

"You're really pregnant?" Ginny asked excitedly. "I'm really going to be an aunty? You and Ron will have to get back together now." She grinned.

"Ginny, this is not something to be excited about! And I don't want to get back together with Ron, I never will. He will probably end up with Lavender anyway and I will be completely happy for them when they do."

"Hermione, it's a baby, babies are always something to be excited about!" Ginny laughed. "And you have to get back together with Ron; at least, he will probably be forced on pain of death to propose to you. You're having a baby together; Mum would never let it be raised without both of its parents."

Hermione took a deep breath "It's not his" She rushed out quickly.

"What?" asked Ginny.

"The baby, it isn't, it's not Ron's." She said more slowly this time; she sighed and then winced as the excited look fell from her friends face. "At least, I don't think it is. Ron and I always used protection so I don't see how it could be."

"And who, may I ask, did you _not_ use protection with? Were you going out with Ron at the time?" Ginny asked slowly, trying to understand what she was hearing.

"No of course I wasn't going out with Ron!" Hermione paused then, "well, I suppose I technically was, but I had just seen him with Lavender! It would hardly be considered cheating!" She defended herself ignoring the question about the baby's father.

"Oh, well I suppose it wouldn't." Ginny said. A moment later she remembered the other part of her question and added "You didn't tell me who it was."

Hermione blushed. "I, I d-don't know if I want to t-tell you that." She stuttered nervously.

"Well I'm going to know eventually. I mean, you'll have to tell the father about the child, and then he will be a part of all of our lives." She huffed

"Uhh...about that, I was thinking I could just not tell him. I mean, I'm pretty well off because of the success of my autobiography, I can raise the child by myself easily," Hermione said, trying to convince her.

"Hermione, you have to tell the father! It doesn't matter if you don't need him for financial support. He will want to be a part of his child's life!" Ginny said shocked that Hermione would even think of not letting the child's father be a part of his or her life.

"Um, I'm not so sure that he would, actually." She said dejectedly.

"Why the bloody hell not? Who is this guy? Why won't you tell me?" Ginny said, getting angry.

Hermione was silent.

"Oh gods! It's not Harry is it?" Ginny looked like she would be sick as the colour drained from her face.

"NO! No definitely not Harry!!" Hermione quickly reassured her friend, shuddering at the thought of sleeping with the boy who had been her best friend since their first year Hogwarts.

"I just had to be sure. I didn't really think you would do something like that." Ginny said, clearly relieved but still slightly shaken.

"I would never do that to you, Gin! You know that!" Hermione was still shocked that Ginny even had to ask her!

"I know" said Ginny, her voice wobbling a bit, "It's just he's been so weird lately." She burst into tears "And, well, when you wouldn't tell me who it was, I just had a thought that, maybe, something had happened and you didn't want me to know." She choked out.

Hermione, worried, gathered Ginny to her chest and stroked her flaming red hair.

"If I tell you who it was will you promise not to tell anyone? Especially not Harry or Ron." She considered that for a moment and added "Well I wouldn't really mind if Ron found out, I think that's why I did it in the first place, to get back at Ron for cheating on me with Lavender. But if Ron finds out, then he will tell Harry and I really don't want anyone knowing about it, at least for now." She still hadn't completely decided whether or not she would tell Malfoy about the pregnancy. What if he wanted her to have an abortion? She just didn't think she could get rid of her own child, no matter who its father was.

"I won't tell a soul" her face brightened at the idea of finally finding out who had gotten Hermione knocked up. "I promise. Not even Harry or Ron"

Hermione immediately regretted saying anything, but she had to tell her now. Grimacing she took a deep breath. "Malfoy" Hermione stated, sounding a lot calmer than she felt.

"Draco? Malfoy!" Ginny asked shocked.

"No." Hermione said sarcastically, "I meant Lucius! Of course Draco."

"Draco! Malfoy?" Ginny still wasn't sure she had heard correctly.

"Yes, Ginny" Hermione said exasperated. "What other Draco's do we know?"

"I was just making sure I had heard you correctly" Ginny was still stunned. "Wow! Draco Malfoy! What was it like?" She breathed, once again excited.

"What?" It was Hermione's turn to be confused.

"What was it like? I mean he has a pretty amazing reputation in the sexual expertise department." Ginny winked. "So...?" She prompted when Hermione didn't answer.

"Um" Hermione cleared her throat blushing, "I only really remember the first time." She said embarrassed. "I was pretty drunk." She explained before suddenly realising her mistake.

"The first time? You mean you did it more than once?" Ginny squealed and Hermione Groaned angry with herself for letting it slip that it wasn't just once. "Wait" Ginny stopped her before she could continue. "We need to be somewhere more comfortable and more private than the bathroom floor for this conversation." She said standing and pulling Hermione with her until they got to Ginny's room, where Hermione was staying while her parents were away for a three month long holiday. Hermione decided she would need to find herself an apartment before they got back.

Ginny pulled over to her bed and sat her down. "Ok, so tell me from the start, what exactly happened that night?"

So Hermione recounted what she remembered of the night to her best friend, who was far more excited about the fact that she had slept with the great 'Slytherin Sex God' than she was.

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_***Two weeks later***_

_.  
_

Hermione and Ginny were doing the dishes in the kitchen at the burrow in silence when Ginny said "I still think you need to tell him."

"Ginny! shhh...!" Hermione said glancing around to make sure no one had heard the youngest Weasley child's comment, "I don't want to tell him, and I'm pretty sure he won't want to know."

"Who won't want to know what?" said Harry from the doorway as he came in to the room to join them.

"Nothing" Said Hermione too quickly.

Harry raised his eyebrows at his friend. Realising he was not wanted and he wasn't likely to get any information about the girls conversation, he turned to leave the room, figuring he would find out sometime.

"You know, Hermione, they will find out eventually! You're almost two months along, you're going to start showing soon, not to mention the fact that you have been throwing up every morning for a week, and I think it would be a good idea if you told them before they noticed for themselves, I'm half surprised they haven't already!" Ginny said quietly once Harry was out of the room.

"I know" Hermione sighed. "I was just hoping that I could somehow conceal my stomach, and then when it comes, tell them that I am babysitting for a relative... indefinitely." Hermione grinned. "You don't think it would work?" Hermione laughed at incredulous look on Ginny's face.

"Not likely" Ginny scoffed. "How would you explain the morning sickness and the odd food cravings not to mention breastfeeding when it comes and the mother/child resemblance once the child is older? Hmm...?"

Hermione's face paled at the mention of parental resemblance, what if the child looks exactly like Malfoy? She pushed the idea from her thoughts; there was nothing she could do about that.

She forced herself to smile at Ginny. Then she sighed.

"I suppose you're right, I do need to tell everyone soon, I just don't know how to go about it."

"I'll be here to help you out, Mione, you know that." Ginny said gently.

"I know." She said quietly. "Oh My God, I'm so sorry I forgot that you were having problems with Harry, what's going on there?" She asked worried for her friend's relationship.

"Oh that, it was nothing" Ginny grinned, blushing, "Harry was just nervous about asking me to take our relationship to the next level" She smiled widely.

Hermione laughed, "And by the look on your face I'm guessing you did! Wait. Don't tell me I don't want to hear about it!"

Their conversation was brought to halt when Fred and George came into the room looking for food and sitting down at the kitchen table to eat it, ignoring the two giggling girls.

Two days later Hermione stood up while everyone was eating dinner around the dining table and cleared her throat loudly. The Weasley's all immediately fell quite, and Ginny squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Um," She started nervously. "I have some news." Her voice wobbled slightly and she cleared her throat again. "I really don't know how to say this, and I didn't know when the best time would be. But as everyone's here, well I suppose now is as good a time as any" she paused for a second, her heart beating wildly, before blurting out "I'm pregnant".

Ron's face visibly paled at news, and everyone just stared at her for a few seconds before Molly broke down into happy tears and all the Weasley men got up and started clapping Ron on the back while he sat there looking stunned, they all hugged Hermione, patting her slightly swollen belly softly.

Ginny grimaced at her and Hermione cleared her throat awkwardly getting their attention again.

"Um, it's not Ron's" she said quietly looking down at her hardly touched plate of quiche and salad.

Silence met her ears; she braced herself for the expressions on their faces as she looked up at them all. Ron, she noticed was looking extremely shocked and upset at this piece of information yet immensely relieved at the same time. Molly still had tears running down her face but they were disappointed tears now rather than happy tears.

Harry cleared his throat, "Whose is it?" he asked the question they were all thinking.

"Um" Hermione started nervously, "I'm not quite ready to tell you that yet"

After the initial shock of her pregnancy had worn off, the Weasley's were all incredibly supportive. All except for Ron who was avoiding her as much as possible, as though she was the one who had cheated on him rather than the other way around.

She had called her parents the day after she announced the news at the dinner table and despite being disappointed in her they were also supporting her decision to keep the child. They had offered to come home straight away to look after her, but she told to stay and that she would be fine with the Weasley's.

The only person now who didn't know about the pregnancy was Malfoy, and probably he had more of a right to know than anyone, but Hermione still couldn't bring herself to tell him.

.

_***Seven Weeks Later***_

_.  
_

Now that she was over three months pregnant, Hermione was showing clearly; even while wearing loose fitting clothes. She had had to purchase new maternity jeans as her normal pants wouldn't do up anymore.

Today Molly had insisted on taking her shopping for baby things, Hermione had complained that it wasn't due for another six months but Molly wouldn't take no for an answer. So here she was, inside a maternity and baby supply shop in Hogsmead looking at baby things with Ginny and Molly Weasley.

She ended up buying two books on magical pregnancy and three on raising young magical children, as well as a knitting pattern and wool for baby booties, she knew how to knit quite well because of her attempts at freeing the Hogwarts house elves by knitting them beanies, so she thought she would give the booties a go.

Ginny and Molly, even after she protested that she didn't need anything from them, had bought her a beautiful maternity sun dress, which grew with her belly so it would always be the right size even when she was as big as a whale, and a set of witches robes that did the same thing.

As the three of them walked out of the shop and down the street, her heart nearly stopped. There, standing in the street was Draco Malfoy; father of her future child.

.

**A/N: **Couldn't resist ending on a cliffie!! hehe!

So tell me... did you like it? was it crap? was it too long? too short? too repetitive? too boring? not enough Draco? what ever you're thinking right now I want to know! So press that review button :o)


	4. An Invitation

**A/N:** I wasn't sure whether to post this now, as it is, or to make it longer first. But I thought that it finished in a good spot so I have decided to upload it now. If you have a preference between short chapteres more often and longer chapters less often, I have a poll up on my profile, or else you can let me know in a Review or a PM.

Thankyou for all the beautiful reviews! I doubt I would have finished this chapter yet if it wasn't for all the positive responses I got the previous chappies!!

**Disclaimer:** All Characters etc belong to JKR (Except for the little foetus inside Hermione!... but even thats kind of hers, as it is the product of Draco and Hermione!)

**Chapter Four**

.

_...As the three of them walked out of the shop and down the street, her heart nearly stopped. There, standing in the street was Draco Malfoy; father of her future child..._

_.  
_

"Oh, my God!" Hermione breathed panicking. She grabbed Ginny and spun around looking for somewhere to go.

"What is Hermione? Are you ok?" Molly asked concerned, not knowing what Hermione's panic was about.

"Yes, yes I'm fine" She lied. "I just uuhh... really need to go to the bathroom. Do you know where the closest one is?" She thought up an excuse to rush off inside away from Malfoy.

"Yes dear, there is one in the Three Broomsticks." Molly said trying to turn Hermione back in the direction of Malfoy.

"Um, you know what; I don't really need to go that badly. I don't mind if we just go back home now." She said, her voice sounding oddly high pitched.

"Nonsense, dear, we have plenty of time. Come on." With that Molly pulled her around in the direction they were heading before.

Ginny laughed at Hermione's panicked expression. "It's ok Mione, he's gone!" Ginny muttered in her ear to calm her down. Hermione quickly scanned the crowd and immediately sighed in relief when she didn't see him anywhere.

.

Molly led the girls through the crowd until she came to the three broom sticks. "Why don't we stop for a drink? Hermione you can use the bathroom while where here." They pushed open the doors to the pub and walked in finding themselves a table by the window.

Hermione really did need to use the toilet now, being pregnant made her need to pee constantly, so she made her way to the short hallway that led the toilets.

When she stepped out of the bathroom again she accidently bumped into someone who had just come out of the men's bathroom.

"Oh, sor.." she started, but then she recognised the fine blonde hair and eyes of molten silver. Her face paled, she was trapped.

"Hello, Granger." Malfoy smirked noticing her pale panicked face he added huskily "Scared of being alone with me, are you?"

"N, no" she stammered "of course I'm not Malfoy" Hermione flushed and looked down her arms wrapping themselves protectively around her belly. The smirk dropped from his face the moment he noticed her swollen stomach. He looked back up to her flushed, panicked expression and then back down to her arms entwined around the child that he was sure must be his.

"Is, is.." His voice caught and he cleared his throat, starting again "is it... is that...." He couldn't finish the sentence.

Hermione averted her gaze and nodded once, a tear trickled down her cheek. It wasn't the first time she had cried about the pregnancy, but she was still embarrassed to let him see her so weak. She was about to swipe at the offending tear away with the back of her hand when Malfoy reached out and brushed it away with the rough pad of his thumb. He turned her face towards him slowly, but Hermione still wouldn't meet his gaze.

"Hermione" He said softly. "Look at me."

She slowly lifted her gaze and looked him directly in the eyes defiantly, as if daring him to say something horrible to her. He didn't.

"Why haven't you told me already?" He was confused. When she didn't say anything realisation dawned on his face, he then became angry. "Were you ever even going to tell me?" his voice low and menacing. He shook her slightly when she still didn't reply. "Well?" his voice was louder now.

.

Molly had walked into the corridor the moment he shook her, "Let go of her!" She said angrily. Malfoy continued fuming. "What did you say to her?" Molly asked voice low and just as - if not more - menacing than Malfoy's had been moments earlier.

"What did I say to her?" He growled at the older woman. "She wasn't even going to fucking tell me she was pregnant, WITH MY CHILD!" He screamed, and with that, Malfoy stormed out of the pub and apparated back to Malfoy Manor.

Hermione burst into tears and Molly just stood there shocked. Ginny came rushing into the hall to find them, concerned for Hermione, after she saw Malfoy striding out of the pub in anger.

"What happened?" She asked taking in Hermione's tear stained face and Molly's shock at finding out that the father of her children's best friend's child was Draco Malfoy.

"He, he knows" Hermione sobbed against Ginny's shoulder when she came rushing over to wrap her arms around her.

.

The next morning Hermione awoke to Ron screaming at someone before a door slammed and she heard his heavy footfalls storming up the stairs towards her room. A moment later the door burst open a very red Ron standing in the doorway.

"WHAT THE FUCK HERMIONE!" He screamed, "MALFOY?"

She knew everyone would know soon enough, "Molly told you then?" She replied calmly stifling a yawn; she was too used to Ron's outbursts to be bothered by his yelling, she had half expected him to act like this when he had found out that she had had sex with someone else, and she still thought that he would have if he hadn't cheated on her and so lost any rights he had to be angry with her for it.

"What?" He asked, confused "Mum knew about this?"

"Um, yeah she found out at Hogsmead yesterday" Hermione said. "If she didn't tell you, who did?" now she was the one confused.

Ron's face went red again "THE FERRET HIMSELF!" he screamed at her.

"WHAT?" She yelled sitting up in bed. "Since when do you talk to Malfoy?"

"Since he turned up at my house during breakfast!" he said spat glaring at Hermione.

Her mouth fell open. "What?"

"You didn't know he was coming then?"

"NO! What did he want?" She asked shocked.

"To talk to you I would assume!" He stated before turning on his heel and storming of to him room to brood.

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Hermione jumped out of bed and dressed hurriedly to see if someone more reasonable than Ron had talked to Malfoy. When she got downstairs everyone at the table turned and looked at her like they didn't know who she was. Ginny cleared her throat and kicked Harry under the table, this jolted them all out of the shocked/confused states; clearly Ginny had talked to them about how to act when she came down. Hermione blushed and figured that she would have to wait on the answers she wanted about Malfoy's visit. She sat down at the table and grabbed a piece of hot toast from the plate in the centre, ignoring the glances that she kept receiving from everyone around the table.

.

Later that day, she had successfully knitted one tiny forest green bootie, when an owl tapped on the window. She got up and let the beautiful, unfamiliar dark brown bird into the room and untied the letter from its outstretched leg, as soon as the letter was untied the owl moved to the edge of the desk so that it wouldn't be in the way while it was waiting for a reply letter to take back to the original sender of the note.

Hermione offered the owl some treats before she sat down to unroll the scroll of parchment. Her heart sped as she saw that the scroll was sealed with Slytherin green wax, and stamped with the initials, DM. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a second before sliding her finger under the wax to break the seal.

The note read as follows:

_Hermione,_

_I am sorry for the way I handled the news of our upcoming parenthood. It's just that the way in which I found out was not the most ideal of circumstances. Don't misunderstand me; I am still incredibly angry that you hadn't told me already. I am trying my hardest not to think that you truly wouldn't have ever told me had I not seen you yesterday._

_But a letter is not the place to discuss such matters._

_Will you meet me for lunch today? You're choice of restaurant, my shout._

_I hope that we can discuss this civilly over lunch._

_Now that I think about it, would it be better to have lunch here at Malfoy Manor? Just in case?_

_Send your reply back with Hera._

_-Draco._

Hermione thought he was probably right, and that gong to a restaurant to discuss this, probably wouldn't be the best idea, but her stomach did flips when she thought about being alone with him in his home. She picked up a self inking quill from the desk and quickly wrote her reply on a piece of parchment before she lost her nerve:

_Draco,_

_I agree, a public venue may not be the best of places to have this chat._

_Shall I floo to your home in an hour?_

_-Hermione_

She tied the letter to Hera's leg, and watched as the owl took flight, and disappeared into the distance.

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**A/N:** I'm sorry there still isn't all that much draco in this chapter! Do not despair though, next chapter you will be seeing _A lot_ of Malfoy!! If you know what I mean *winks*

Review yes?? *smiles sweetly*


	5. Shattered

**A/N:**

****HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!****

.

Hey guys! This is my longest chapter yet so I hope you like it. I'm a bit worried that I have made Draco a bit OOC in this chapter, also I was a bit hungover when I wrote it so I don't know how good it will be haha!! .. let me know what you think.

**Disclaimer:** The Harry Potter world and characters belong solely to JKR!!

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**Chapter Five**

_....Draco,_

_I agree, a public venue may not be the best of places to have this chat._

_Shall I floo to your home in an hour?_

_-Hermione...._

_.  
_

Hermione panicked as soon as she had sent the letter, what did he want? Should she have mentioned on the letter that she didn't expect him to want to be a part of any of this? Maybe they wouldn't need to meet if he understood that he didn't have any fatherly obligations.

Hera was back in 20 minutes, this time not waiting for a reply as Malfoy was just letting her know that the wards had been changed to allow her entry. Hermione wondered what he would do if she just decided not to show up. _'No'_ she thought to herself _'There is no backing out now!'_

Ginny walked into the room and seeing Hermione's stressed expression, rushed over to her.

"What's going on? What's wrong?" She asked quickly.

"Me, Draco, lunch, soon." She managed to get out before she shook herself out of the daze. "I just told Malfoy that I would meet him for lunch, at Malfoy Manor" she told Ginny more fluently. Then she suddenly remembered Malfoy's visit that morning, she grabbed Ginny's arm, "Do you know what Malfoy came around for this morning?"

"Um, I couldn't hear what Malfoy was saying over of Ron's screaming, but from that side of the conversation it would seem that Malfoy was taunting him about the fact he had slept with you. I think he was implying that he was a better lover than Ron." Ginny frowned, then her face lit up as she added, "He had flowers!"

"He had flowers? For me?" Hermione was shocked.

"No, actually, I'm pretty Malfoy has been harbouring a secret crush on Harry!" Ginny smirked.

"Ha. Ha. Ginny, just because you're in love with boy wonder doesn't mean everyone else is! I was just shocked at the thought of Malfoy, with flowers." Hermione replied.

She glanced at the clock on the wall and realised she only had 15 minutes before she was expected to floo over to Malfoy Manor. Hermione quickly jumped up and moved as quickly as she could to Ginny's room, where she changed hurriedly into the summer dress that Ginny and Molly had gotten her the day before, ran her fingers through her mass of curls and swiped on some lip balm, before making her way downstairs to the fireplace, Ginny trailing after her.

"Good luck!" Ginny whispered in her ear as she gave her friend a hug. "If you're not back by dinner time I'll call the aurors!" Ginny joked, making Hermione smile.

Hermione then turned to the fire and grabbed a handful of floo powder, took a deep breath and threw it into the flames. _'No turning back now she thought'_ as she stepped into the fireplace saying clearly, "Malfoy Manor".

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_***Malfoy Manor***_

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Hermione's heart was pounding nervously as she spun out of the fireplace and stumbled into Malfoy's arms, flooing was becoming harder and harder the bigger her stomach got. She grabbed hold of Malfoy's shoulders to steady herself, his hands holding her waist to keep her upright.

"You ok?" He asked, seeming genuinely concerned for her well being.

"Fine" She said pushing herself away from him and taking a step backwards. "I guess I'm just a bit out of balance at the moment" She said, looking pointedly at her protruding stomach.

"Maybe you shouldn't be using the floo if it isn't safe." He said seriously.

"It's safe enough." She said defensively, not ready to have to stay home or rely on using muggle transport.

"Lunch is this way" he took her hand and led her through several large elaborately decorated rooms before she found herself in a much smaller, more comfortable dining room than she had expected. Noticing the look on her face he explained, "This is the family dining room. The formal room is much larger; I thought you would be more comfortable here." He started looking a bit awkward, as though he didn't really know what to say.

"Look, Malfoy"

"Call me Draco, please." He cut her off.

She cleared her throat, "Ok, uh... Draco, I'm sorry about not telling you about the baby, and that you had to find out the way you did." She blushed

"About that, why didn't you tell me?" Malfoy was obviously still very upset about the fact that she hadn't told him.

"I, um." Luckily a house elf popped into the room to ask if they were ready to be served, saving her from answering, for now.

"Hermione" Draco said holding out a cushioned wooden dining chair for her to take a seat in. He then moved around to the other side of the table and took the seat opposite her. They waited for the house elf to come back with their meal – grilled salmon – before either of them spoke again.

"Well..." Draco prompted her to continue what she had been about to say earlier, "Why didn't you tell me?" His voice still held the hint of an accusatory tone.

"Oh, um, I think, I think I was, scared." She said in a small voice. "I still am. I don't know what you want. Truthfully, I didn't know if you would even want to be told." Her voice wavering.

Malfoy was enraged. "WOULD EVEN WANT TO BE TOLD?" he gritted his teeth. "What kind of person wouldn't want to be told that they were having a child? What kind of person do you think I am? What on earth were you scared of?" He questioned her, his voice furious.

"I said I was sorry!" She exclaimed loudly. "I thought that, maybe, because of your blood status, and your feelings about me, that you would, I don't know, want me to get rid of it or something. And well, I couldn't do that!" She said softly, voicing reasons she hadn't even fully thought about before now, looking down at her plate of barely touched food.

Malfoy's cheeks were tinged slightly red, which she supposed was Malfoy's version of how Ron got when he was mad. He stood up from the table, "You know that my opinions on blood status have changed, the war, and you, made me realise the truth about all that." His voice calm and even, he took a deep breath and continued his rant, "you thought I was such a monster that I would force you to get of our child if I didn't want it?" Hermione whimpered at look in Malfoy's eyes. "And lastly" He stepped around the table and pulled her to her feet. "You know nothing about my feelings for you!" The anger in Malfoy's eyes changed ever so slightly into burning desire as he crushed is lips against hers.

Hermione could do nothing but stand there for a moment, too shocked to react, but then when her brain clicked back into place, she moaned and pressed herself into him wrapping her arms around his neck. Malfoy groaned as she reciprocated the kiss and pulled his lips away to catch his breath leaning his face against her neck, breathing in her subtle honey scent and then rained kiss on her neck and behind her ear, flicking his tongue out to taste her ever now and then.

Hermione pulled his face back around to hers and kissed him again. While they were still kissing Malfoy snapped his fingers and the same house elf came back in and cleared away their uneaten meal. He then turned Hermione and pushed her backwards until the tops of her thighs hit the table. He lifted her up so she could sit on the table and he stood between her legs, which she then wrapped around him, her sandals slipping from her feet, bringing him in tightly against her, never once breaking the hungry, searing kiss.

Draco found that the feeling of her rounded stomach pressing against him was actually a huge turn on and his cock jumped painfully in the tight confines of his trousers.

Hermione realised that his tailored black pants were charmed to hide awkward situations when his hips jerked against hers and she could feel his desire pressing into centre. She would have chuckled at this little fact but the feeling of him pressing against her drew a moan from her lips.

She then she had a thought, and pulled her lips away, "Malfoy, I mean, Draco." She moaned breathlessly as he ground his hips against her and arched her back, before continuing "you're parents aren't here are they." She gasped, not knowing if she would be able to stop even if they were in the house, but she was worried that they could come barging in at any moment.

"No, love. It's just you and me!" he said against her throat, her breath caught at the term of endearment he had given her and she kissed him again, her tongue sweeping along his lips before delving into his hot mouth, their tongues danced.

She moved her mouth along his jaw and kissed her way down his neck, bring her hands to the buttons on his shirt, she kissed and licked his skin as it was revealed button by button, by the time she had done four buttons she was getting impatient and so she ripped the shirt open the rest of the way. When his shirt was off she ran her hands over his firm, smooth torso. She kissed him in the centre of his chest before flicking her tongue over his small hardened nipple, rolling the other one between her fingers. He moaned and his hand caressed up and down her thigh gradually making his way further up her leg.

He grabbed the hem of her dress and pulled it upwards, she held her arms over her head as he pulled it off and threw it where his shirt already lay on the floor. Draco cupped her full, extra-sensitive breasts in his hands and gentle massaged them through the thin silk of her royal purple bra, she moaned and let her head fall backwards as she arched into his hands and his lips trailed hot kisses over her neck.

Hermione pulled his head up by his hair and pulled him down into another breathtakingly passionate kiss. She ran her fingers down his chest lightly scraping her nails along his warm skin, she pushed him back a slightly so she could undo his belt when she undid his fly the trousers dropped to the ground and Malfoy kicked off his shoes and pushed them off towards the growing pile clothes on the floor with his pants.

He pulled her against him moaning at the feeling of skin against skin.

They were both suddenly impatient, he freed her breasts from the confines of her bra as she pushed his Calvin Klein boxer shorts down his legs and they joined the crumpled pile of clothes on the floor, his erection springing free.

She took him in her hand and squeezed gently causing him to shiver and moan against her neck.

She pumped her hand up and down his shaft slowly eliciting a groan from Malfoy before he bit down on her shoulder lightly, grazing his teeth over her soft skin.

Hermione removed her hand from around him and pushed him backwards before slipping from the table and kneeling before him. She looked up at him to see a crazed, lustful expression in his eyes. She wrapped her fingers around the base of his shaft and moved her face closer, still looking up at him; he now had his eyes closed, his lips were parted slightly and his breathing ragged, she watched as his tongue darted out to wet his lips.

Hermione blew her hot breath over his head and flicked her tongue out, licking the small drop of salty pre cum from the tip teasingly before sealing her lips over him and swirling her tongue around his head, sucking softly.

Draco moaned and his hips jerked forwards, urging her on she took him further into her mouth and reached up with her other hand to cup his balls, which she squeezed and massaged lightly as her head bobbed over him, his long cock bumping the back of her throat. She licked along the length of him as she drew her face back to blow a breath of air across his moist shaft, his cock jumped slightly and he growled deep in his throat. She took him back in her mouth, sucking and swallowing around him as her head moved backwards and forwards.

His knees went weak and he stumbled slightly before he grabbed a handful of her thick hair and pulled her off him. "I'm going, to come, if you don't, stop now." He breathed roughly, panting, as he pulled her to her feet and immediately ripped off her plain black knickers, the elastic snapping against her skin leaving an angry red mark. He grabbed her hips and pulled her roughly against him, he hoisted her up and she wrapped her shapely legs around him as he plunged into her soaking heat. They both moaned into each other's mouths as they came together finally.

Draco took a step forwards and sat her on the table again as he pulled almost all the way out before plunging himself deep inside her again. He removed his straining cock completely and tugged Hermione from the table twisting her around and slamming himself inside her once again, she inhaled sharply as he hit just the right spot inside her, she moaned as she breathed out, falling forward slightly as her arms went weak.

Draco took a tender breast in his hand and squeezed as he thrust forwards into her again, his other hand sliding down her stomach and into the soft thatch of hair between her thighs. He flicked a finger over her sensitive nub as he thrust again, groaning against her neck. Hermione felt like there was a fire burning inside her as he rubbed her clit, her breath coming in short whimpering pants.

Draco shivered behind her and his thrusts sped, becoming erratic. Suddenly she was pushed over the edge and the raging fire consumed her, she screamed out as she came, her walls clamping around him causing his own orgasm to overtake him. He shuddered falling against Hermione as he emptied himself inside of her.

They lay there for a few minutes in post coital bliss, panting hard, trying to work up enough energy to move. Draco's softened member slipped from inside of Hermione as he shifted his body weight so that he wasn't crushing her, their combined juices running down Hermione's thighs.

When they were sufficiently recovered Hermione found her wand and scourgified herself before finding her bra and repairing her ripped panties. She was about to pull her dress over head when Draco stopped her taking the dress from her hands and placing it on the table as he dropped to his knee's before her, wearing nothing but his grey boxers. He placed his hands over her stomach, an odd, slightly confused look on his face, as though he didn't quite know what to think about the whole pregnancy issue.

He opened his mouth to say something, but he was interrupted by a horrified shriek, an intake of breath, and the sound of glass shattering.

.

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**A/N:** Well...? what did you think?

Please leave a review!! :o)


	6. An Arranged Marriage

**A/N:** This chapter was harder to write than the others, I actually rewrote the start of it three times with different things happening before I was satisfied, so I hope it is ok!

Again, I would like to thank everyone who left a review :o)

**Disclaimer:** Not mine!

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**Chapter S****ix**

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_....He opened his mouth to say something, but he was interrupted by a horrified shriek, an intake of breath, and the sound of glass shattering...._

_.  
_

Hermione and Draco both looked up startled; to see a shocked Narcissa Malfoy and a Horrified Estelle Parkinson, surrounded by the fragments of what looked like a large crystal vase. Everyone was frozen in place looks of astonishment one all of their faces.

"Mother?" Draco was the first to break the silence "I thought you were going to be out all day?" He asked, panicked, he stood up and quickly handed Hermione her dress which she put on fast as she could her face flaming with embarrassment. Draco quickly pulled on his pants and grabbed his shirt pulling it on but leaving it undone when he remembered that half the buttons were gone. Mrs. Parkinson was scowling at Hermione; the look in her eyes reminding her of Ginny's joking words right before she had floo'd here for lunch, and she thought to herself that Ginny may just have a reason to call the aurors after all.

"Change of plans" Narcissa stated calmly, voice cold and icy.

Yes, Hermione thought as Narcissa pulled out her wand; it was getting more and more likely that she would not live to see the next day.

"Estelle bought us a beautiful vase thinking that it would look perfect in out dining room." She explained as she repaired the aforementioned vase and, to Hermione's relief, put her wand away.

"Would somebody here like to explain to me what is going on?" Asked an enraged Mrs. Parkinson. "Why is my daughter's fiancé with someone else?"

Fiancé? Hermione thought stunned; surely Draco would have told her that he was engaged?

"Now Essie dear, we've talked about this. Neither Draco nor Pansy wish to be married to each other." Narcissa said, her voice almost bored, as though they had had this conversation many times. Hermione was relieved that she hadn't just been the 'other woman' in Draco's relationship.

"In our day it didn't matter what we wished. You never wanted to marry Lucius, Narcissa, but look how happy you are now!" Estelle exclaimed passionately, she was clearly anxious to have her daughter marry into a wealthy family.

"Lucius and I barely knew each other, Pansy and Draco have known each other since they were babies, and I think that if they were going to fall in love, it would have happened by now. Am I right Draco?"

"Indeed." Draco said amused at the conversation, it looked like he had also talked about this subject many times.

"Well" Mrs. Parkinson huffed, "It seems that you have personal matters to discuss which I have no part in." Her tone changed as she added "Shall I see you for tea tomorrow, Cissy?"

"Certainly, I'll floo over around 11" Narcissa said cheerily as she ushered her friend out the door, before turning back towards Draco and Hermione, the pleasant expression she had worn while bidding her friend goodbye completely wiped from her face, replaced with a cold, hard expression. "Stay here." She commanded the pair, before turning and gliding swiftly from the room.

They both breathed out after Narcissa had been gone for a few seconds. "Are you going to tell her that the baby is yours?" Hermione asked slowly, she realised that she would be upset and hurt if he said no.

"Yes" Draco sighed. "It's not like she didn't already realise when she first walked in." Then he added softly, "But, I would have told her anyway, even if she hadn't just discovered it for herself."

"I'm guessing this isn't exactly how you wanted you parents to find out!" Hermione surprised herself as she managed to laugh despite the situation they were in.

Draco chuckled, "Not quite, no." Then he startled her pulling her towards him and kissing her softly. Then she remembered what he had said right before kissing her earlier. She pulled back from the kiss.

"Draco, what did you mean before?" She questioned him her lips still close to his. "When you said that I knew nothing about the way you feel about me." She was extremely curious.

"What do you think?" He smirked and raised his eyebrows as he closed the distance between their lips again, looking her in the eyes as he kissed her slowly. She smiled against his lips then pulled back again.

"Well I've gathered that you don't hate me anymore!" She laughed then becoming more serious as she added "But what I meant was, is this just lust? Or is it something more?" She blushed.

After asking him this she thought about what her feelings were towards him; and she didn't really know. There was definitely lust, and she clearly didn't hate him like she had through most of her Hogwarts years. While they were head students together, he had been much more civil towards her and they had actually had quite a few conversations with him, they had become, not quite friends but by the end of the year they certainly weren't enemies any more.

Before he managed to answer though, Narcissa interrupted, "Come with me." She ordered when she got back to the room. Hermione blushed again, and she and Draco quickly stepped away from one another. They followed Narcissa out of the room and through various corridors before Narcissa reached an ornate wooden door and stopped, once they had caught up with her, she knocked lightly on the door before pushing it open.

"Here they are, Lucius." She said into the room before the door swung open and Hermione could see that they were in a large study, Lucius sat behind a large oak desk, there were bookshelves lining the walls and a couch set in a corner of the room.

Draco's father stood up from behind his desk and transfigured three chairs, two in front of the desk and one beside his behind the desk. He indicated for them all to sit, Narcissa taking the seat beside him.

"I didn't know you were seeing anyone, Draco." Lucius said with disdain, "Care to introduce us?"

"Oh, yes, sorry" Draco was clearly nervous. "Father, this is Hermione Granger. Hermione, this is my father, Lucius Malfoy, I believe you may have met once or twice before."

"It's, er, nice to meet you again, Mr. Malfoy." Hermione lied.

"Please, call me Lucius; I am to become your father in law." He looked towards Draco, "am I not?"

"Uh," Draco started. But he was cut off as Lucius spoke to Hermione.

"That is Draco's child?" He asked her, indicating towards her stomach.

Hermione looked at Draco, who nodded at her. "Yes, it is." She said slowly.

"Well then, the two of you are to be married, end of discussion." He stated calmly.

"Um, well, Hermione and I haven't, really, been seeing each other, for, uh, for long." Draco told his father.

"No Malfoy heir will be born a bastard." Lucius replied stonily.

"We don't know that the child is a boy." Hermione said to Lucius.

To which he said icily "There have been no female firstborn children in the Malfoy family for centuries. The child will be a boy."

"There have been no half blood Malfoy children either." Hermione raised an eyebrow at the man before her, "and yet, this one is. Why couldn't it be a girl also?"

Lucius smirked, "Touché" He said to Hermione, before turning to his son, "I like her Draco, she has spine, unlike the Parkinson girl; no matter how much you might like her, Cissy" He turned to his wife, who had been sitting beside him silently. "Now, I know how you can't seem to ever plan a small party, so if we want to hold this wedding before the baby arrives then I think you ought to start the planning as soon as possible." He turned back to face his son and cut Draco off before he could protest. "Draco, you will marry Miss Granger before this baby is born. No buts. My word is final." He looked at his son as though daring Draco to argue with him, and then he barked at them all, "Now leave, all of you. I have things to do."

When they were out of the room Draco turned to his mother and whined, "This is practically an arranged marriage, weren't you saying earlier that you wouldn't force me into marrying Pansy, why is this any different?"

"Did you ever get Pansy pregnant, Draco?" Narcissa smirked at her son. "No, I didn't think so." She said when she saw the look on his face. "Now, ask me again why this is any different?" She raised her eyebrows at her son before turning and walking away.

Hermione looked at her watch and saw that it was 3 o'clock, "Uh, Draco. I should go. Can we talk about this later? I think I need to be alone for a while, this is a lot to take in"

Draco nodded, "I'm sorry, about all of this." He said sincerely to her. Before walking her back to the floo room. Just before she was about to step into the green flames Draco grabbed her arm and stopped her, pulling her towards him, he laid a chaste kiss against her lips and said, "It will be alright."

She nodded, "Goodbye, Draco" She turned back to the fireplace and stepped into the flames; saying clearly, "The Burrow".

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**A/N:** Let me know what you thought.

and if you notice grammatical/spelling errors that I have missed (Im quite sure there are plantly of them) please let me know and I will fix them up.

thankyou for reading! I hope you enjoyed it.


	7. Choose

**A/N:** I managed to get this done sooner than I thought I would :o)

I hope it is ok and I didn't rush it too much!

**Disclaimer:** still don't own anything!!

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**Chapter Seven**

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_....She nodded, "Goodbye, Draco" She turned back to the fireplace and stepped into the flames; saying clearly, "The Burrow"...._

_.  
_

Hermione was dazed, '_Marry Malfoy?' _She certainly hadn't thought this morning that she would be engaged by the end of the day; dead maybe, when Narcissa walked into the dining room, but not engaged.

She walked slowly up to Ginny's room and sat down on the spare bed which she was using.

'_Wait' _she thought, she didn't _have_ to marry him! Lucius Malfoy couldn't tell her what to do, he wasn't her father. Sure, Draco might get in trouble if his son, _or daughter_, was born out of wedlock, but that wasn't her problem was it?

But _Should_ she marry Draco? For the child's sake? Would it really be so bad? Sure, she didn't love him, or even _like_ him, particularly! But she didn't hate him. That was good wasn't it? She grimaced to herself. Oh god, she couldn't marry someone when the best thing she could say about them was that _she didn't hate them_! Although, that wasn't strictly true, she also thought he was damn sexy! She groaned.

Her mind kept going over every possible question it could come up with, she was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice when Ginny walked into the room, having been outside playing quidditch with Harry and her brothers, and tried to get her attention.

"_Hello!! Hermione?_" Ginny tried for the third time, before Hermione broke out of her thoughts and stared up at her friend.

"I'm sorry. What?" Hermione shook her head clear.

"What are you thinking about?" Ginny was curious.

"Marriage" Hermione said bitterly.

"WHAT? Did he propose? Oh my God! What did you say?" Ginny squealed.

"NO! He didn't propose. His father _demanded_ that we be married before the baby arrives" She dropped her head into her hands.

"Damn! What did Malfoy say?"

"Well, obviously he wasn't too happy at being forced into marriage, but I got the impression that arranged marriages are a bit of a thing in his family, so he has had his whole life to get used the idea of being forced to marry someone."

"A lot of old fashioned pureblood families arrange their children's marriages." Ginny stated.

"Yeah, well apparently he was meant to marry Pansy Parkinson."

"Pansy? Oh, that Slytherin girl? Who was always hanging around him at Hogwarts?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, but neither of them wanted to be married, and I think his mother wasn't so keen on forcing him to get married. Until, of course, he gets me pregnant. Now she is _all_ about forcing him into it! God forbid the child should be a bastard!" Hermione exclaimed with mock horror.

Ginny giggled, and then went quiet for a moment before asking, "So what are you going to do?"

Hermione sighed, "I don't know."

"Well..." Ginny said slowly, "If Malfoy _had_ proposed to you; what would you have said?"

"No." Hermione said straight away. Then she said more quietly, almost to herself, "I would have said no." and with that she jumped up and raced back to the fire place, leaving a surprised Ginny sitting there; stunned at her hasty departure.

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_***Malfoy Manor***_

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When she stumbled into the floo room of Malfoy Manor a house elf was there to greet her.

"Hello, uh, Could you please direct me to Draco Malfoy?" She asked the house elf politely, hating that she had to ask it to do anything.

"If Miss would wait here, Mipsy will get Master Draco for her right away." said the house elf to Hermione, bowing deeply.

"Thank you, Mipsy" Hermione replied and took a seat in one of the comfortable armchairs to wait for Draco.

When he came into the room, looking confused, Hermione stood up nervously wringing her hands together.

"Hermione, what is it?" asked Draco "Did you forget something?"

She looked down at her feet and said quickly, "Uh, I'm sorry Draco, but I won't marry you." Draco started to speak but she cut him off. "I know that your father won't be happy about it. But I can't marry someone who I don't love. I won't be forced into an engagement, and while your father may be able to force you into it, he has no control over me or my actions." She took a deep breath and brought her face up to look him in the eyes, "I'm sorry."

Draco looked slightly hurt, but he said "It's ok, I understand. Don't worry about my father, I'll tell him."

"I can stay, and we can tell him together if you would like?" Hermione asked Draco

"I don't know if that would be such a good idea. He's likely to get pretty angry." Draco grimaced at the thought.

"I don't mind, I would like to stay, just to make sure that it turns out ok." Hermione said, her Gryffindor courage shining though.

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They made their way back to Lucius's study and Draco knocked on the door.

"What is it?" Lucius called from inside impatiently, "I told you that I have things to do."

Draco pushed the door open and walked in, Hermione trailing after him. Draco turned to her and said "I'll handle it."

"Draco? You know I hate being interrupted." He scowled down at his son.

Draco cleared his throat, "We have decided that we will not be forced into marriage."

There was a pause before Lucius replied, "Excuse me? I thought for a moment that you said you weren't getting married" He glared at Draco "But I know that that couldn't have been it." He raised his eyebrows.

Hermione spoke up then, "Mr. Malfoy, I know you have parental authority over Draco, but you have no authority over me. I do not wish to marry your son. And I will not be forced to do so." She looked him straight in the eye as she said this.

Lucius stood from his chair and sneered down at Hermione, "I will not tolerate the Malfoy heir being raised solely by a mudblood!" He spat the word. "You either marry my son or you do not have the child."

"Dad, please." Draco said quietly.

"Be quiet boy, I am not at all happy with you, so do not try my temper anymore!" He hissed at his son only taking his eyes off Hermione for a second. "Well, Miss Granger?"

"I will not give up the child, and I will not enter into a loveless marriage. No one will convince me otherwise, on either front!"

Lucius slammed his fist down on his desk, making Hermione jump, "I WILL NOT ACCEPT THAT!" Lucius roared then took a deep breath, "I was not happy with this from the start" He turned to glare at Draco before continuing, "I was willing to compromise, and let you keep the child, but only, and I mean _only_, if you complied with _one_ condition."

"Tell me Lucius" Hermione said curiously, "what happens if we _don't_ comply with this condition? What exactly are you going to do?"

"Nothing illegal, I assure you." Lucius smirked.

"Father, can't you just accept that, at this time, we do not wish to be married. It doesn't mean we can't raise the child together, Hermione could move into Malfoy Manor" He looked at Hermione when he said this, and when eyes went wide at the idea of moving into the same home as all three of the Malfoy's, he quickly added "Or, or we could work out another arrangement; something that suited everyone." Hermione looked relieved.

"Look, maybe we will, um, fall in love, one day, and get married then." Hermione said awkwardly; trying to think of something to appease Draco's father. "But right now I just think that we are too young to be married."

Lucius curled his lip at Hermione, "Too young to be married? But I suppose you're old enough for children?" He said with a mocking smile; his voice contemptuous.

Neither Draco nor Hermione had an answer for that so Lucius continued; "So? What will it be Miss Granger? Get married? Or get rid of the child?"

"Neither" Hermione said defiantly.

"YOU WILL CHOOSE!" Lucius bellowed.

"And what are you going to do about if I don't?" Hermione smirked at Lucius's enraged face.

Then it was Lucius's turn to smirk, "I'll choose for you." He said simply.

Hermione looked confused then raised an eyebrow "You can't _force_ us to be married, it's not possible, not with the new laws regarding arranged marriages." She said, almost gloatingly.

"No." Lucius said, "I can't. But I can do this" He took out his wand, pointed it at Hermione and hissed "_Abortio."_

_._

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**A/N:** I know it's short! I'm sorry, but I thought that I would be really evil and stop at another cliff hanger hehehe!! (please don't hurt me!)

Oh and I looked up the latin translation for miscarriage on the internet and so thats where I got abortio from!


	8. Wait, What?

**A/N: **Thank you everyone who has reviewed my story so far!!

**Disclaimer:** Like always, harry pottter is not mine!

**Chapter Eight**

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_..."No." Lucius said, "I can't. But I can do this" He took out his wand, pointed it at Hermione and hissed "_Abortio_."_...

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"NO!!" Draco shouted and tried to push Hermione out of the way as he jumped in front of Lucius to try and stop the curse from hitting her. He wasn't quite quick enough; Hermione gasped and stumbled backwards as it hit her in the side of the stomach. She choked on a sob as she felt the trickles of blood running down her thighs "_**YOU BASTARD!! YOU FUCKING BASTARD!!!**_" She shrieked at Lucius in between sobs hugging her arms around her stomach.

Draco looked stunned for a moment then suddenly he snapped back into action, grabbing Hermione as he hissed at his father "_How could you?_" then he apparated Hermione and himself straight to St. Mungo's emergency ward.

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A team of medi-witches surrounded them as they appeared and they rushed a sobbing Hermione off to an emergency room, while they questioned Draco about what had just happened.

After he had explained the circumstances he was left by himself in waiting room, pacing restlessly.

He didn't quite know why he was so upset; he hadn't planned the baby after all, and he didn't even love the child's mother, sure he liked her, in fact, he liked Hermione a lot, but he wouldn't go as far as calling it love, not even close, not yet, anyway. He knew he had every reason to be upset and angry, his father had just tried to kill, - _or had killed_, his mind added, but he forced the thought away- his unborn child, but he wasn't just upset and angry he was _furious _and he felt as though he had been stabbed in the heart, a heart that he hadn't even known existed until he had seen Hermione's t-shirt pulled taut over her lightly swollen belly just yesterday. _Yesterday?_ He thought, shocked; it seemed as though he had known for much longer than two days, and he hadn't even known for quite _that_ long.

He was having a hard time controlling himself so that he didn't either, a) Apparate back home and murder his father, or b) have a complete breakdown right there in the waiting room. The problems with those two scenarios were that; he didn't want to leave the hospital in case someone came out with news, and also, he didn't want to end up in Azkaban, he added that as a second thought. The problem with the other option was that he still had his pride and a reputation uphold, Malfoy's did not cry, especially not in public, no matter what had happened. He held himself together and continued pacing; even though he could tell that he was getting on the nerves of the other people sitting there patiently, while he stormed around the room in a rage.

Oh god, he thought, he hadn't even known about this child for _two days_ what would he feel like after it was born? - _If _it was born_, _he corrected in his mind -what about after being a father for two years, or six years, or a lifetime? '_Don't think about that, Draco_'_._ He scolded himself as he started to imagine playing with the child, watching him or her grow, learn to read, fly their first broom. Draco felt an unusual prickling sensation behind his eyes and decided that he needed something to keep his mind of his thoughts; and so he stormed off to find someone who could tell him what was going on, and why it was taking so long.

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He marched up the help desk and demanded to talk to someone who knew what was happening with Hermione and the baby.

The receptionist smiled at him calmly and said to him, "She won't be long now Mr. Malfoy, I'm sure someone will come out in a moment to speak to you."

"I don't want to wait a moment; I want to speak to someone now!!" Draco almost stamped his foot, but managed to stop himself just in time, getting away with only a small leg twitch. Just as he finished his sentence a door opened further down the hallway and a young doctor came out and walked towards him, his facial expression bleak his mouth set in a grimace. Draco's heart plummeted and he became shaky, the receptionist summoned a chair behind him and he sank into it without thanks.

"I have some good news and some bad news." The doctor said earnestly, Draco just stared at him wishing he would just hurry up and tell him exactly what had happened.

"Miss Granger will be fine, there has been no lasting spell damage and she will be able to mother children in the future if she chooses." The doctor paused and Draco, while happy that Hermione was fine, was devastated at the loss of his child, the child that he hadn't ever had the chance to get to know.

The doctor spoke again his tone even more serious now "I am happy to say that _one_ of the babies is fine and is in a stable condition, but I am so sorry Mr. Malfoy, the other was hit with the brunt of the curse and was killed almost instantly. It was extremely lucky that the curse only hit her in the side and not the front or else both children would likely have shared the same fate."

_Wait. What?_ Draco thought to himself his eyes snapped up, but before he could open his mouth he saw Hermione walk up from behind the doctor.

"We were going to have twins, Draco." She said; her voice choked.

Draco was stunned, twins? Now he not only hadn't known about the lost child for two days, he hadn't known about it until it was already gone, and he was _still_ in a mess about it. He had thought was only having one child, and he was only having one child, surely you shouldn't be able to feel so upset over losing something, someone, that you didn't even know existed? "Should you be out of bed Hermione?" he asked his voice shaky, concerned that she was still hurt.

She shook her head, "I'm fine" but the look in her eyes said that she was not fine, not at heart.

Draco stood and gathered her in his arms. "I'm sorry" he whispered into her hair, "I'm so, so, sorry!" Draco's voice was strained, he was still holding his grief in and he could feel his throat ache with the strain of not letting the emotions show, although he was pretty sure he wasn't doing a very good job of keeping them off his face.

Hermione's sobs lessened and she whispered to him, "It was a boy." And she burst into tears all over again. Despite what she had said to Lucius about the gender of the child; she had always wanted a little boy.

"And, and this one?" Draco asked his voice catching, as his hand rubbed circles on Hermione's stomach.

"A girl" She smiled at the thought of their baby, if possible, she felt even more love for the child inside her now that she knew what it felt like to lose one.

"I want to go home" She cried, her weak voice muffled by Draco's chest.

Draco led Hermione to a chair in the waiting room and he went to sign the paperwork. After that was done they made their way slowly, arms around each other to the floo area and lined up to use one of the fireplaces. When they were next in line Draco asked nervously, "Hermione, do you think that it would be ok if I stayed with you? At the Weasley's" He grimaced at his own suggestion, and he explained "I don't want to see my father right now, I don't think I would be able to not try to kill him, and likely I would fail and then I would be the one who ended up dead." He said this last bit in a sneer; as though the only reason he wasn't going to go home and duel his father was because of the risk that he himself would be harmed."Well?" He prodded, "can I?" He took a deep breath and held it, waiting for her response.

"I'd like that" Hermione said slowly and sincerely, looking up at him. "But I don't know what everyone else will say." She bit her lip. "We can ask. They probably won't say no after we tell them everything" Hermione was suddenly extremely tired, she hadn't eaten much all day and _a lot_ had happened. Just the thought of having to explain everything to her friends when she got back to The Burrow made her grimace, she was glad that Draco would be there to help her.

She turned to the fireplace and went first; she didn't think it would be a great idea for Draco to step into the Weasley's home before she had warned them of his visit.

She turned to look at Draco again, before shouting "The Burrow" and stepping into the bright green flames.

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**Review!!! **(please)


	9. The Burrow

It was pointed out to me that I had accidentaly repeated a paragraph, so I have fixed that up now!

**A/N:** again: thank you everyone who has reviewed!! :o)

I hope this chapter is up to your expectations!

**Disclaimer: **JKR owns all!!

**Chapter Nine**

_....She turned to look at Draco again before shouting "The Burrow" and stepping into the bright green flames...._

The Weasley's, and harry, were sitting around the dinner table when Hermione stepped into The Burrow from the flames.

"Hermione, dear" said Molly standing up from the table "You're right on time, we were just about to start."

She started to bustle off to the kitchen to fetch Hermione a plate, but before she got the kitchen Hermione called out, "Could you get two extra plates? Someone else will be joining us. I hope that's ok."

"Of course dear, the more the merrier" She assured Hermione with a warm smile, a mere second before the flames in the fireplace turned a bright emerald green and Draco Malfoy came spinning out, brushing ash from his sleeve.

Ron stood suddenly his face red with anger, his chair falling over backwards with a bang, "What is HE doing here?" He hissed angrily at Hermione.

"Uh ..." Hermione began before Draco cut her off.

"I am in need of a place to stay" He explained calmly to Arthur Weasley, ignoring Ron's outburst. "I was hoping that you and you're wife would consent to endure my presence for a day or two, before I find myself somewhere more convenient; as I do not feel it wise for me to return home to Malfoy Manor in the near future."

Everyone in the room, bar Hermione, was shocked at Malfoy's polite tone and some still open mouthed at his very appearance in the house. Ginny was trying to catch Hermione's eye to inquire silently as to how her confrontation went regarding marriage. Although she assumed, judging on Malfoy's presence in her home, that Hermione was no longer expected to marry the Ferret, but she wasn't sure due to the anxious look of despair on her friends face, as well as, she realised, the face of Draco Malfoy.

Ron, already angered just from Draco's presence, yelled at Malfoy before Ginny could get an answer, "NO WAY! There is no bloody way you are staying in this house, no matter what you're paltry excuse for needing a place to stay is."

All politeness dissipated from Draco's face as he turned to Ron and sneered "I believe, Weasel, that I was asking your father, not you, for permission to stay in his home."

Molly, who had disappeared into the kitchen for a moment, reappeared with extra plates and cutlery.

"May I ask what the reason is that you so suddenly need a place to stay, and do not wish to return home?" Arthur asked as his wife pulled out her wand and lengthened the table, adding an extra chair, so that they would all fit comfortably around it.

It was Hermione who answered Mr. Weasley before Draco could speak."Why don't we wait until after dinner?" She suggested, her voice shaking slightly. "I haven't eaten much all day and I don't really want to have this conversation while we are eating." She hurriedly went to sit down next to Harry, motioning for Draco to take the opposite her, next to Fred.

Hermione clearly looked upset because Ron, who had sat back down, glared at Malfoy, "What happened, Ferret? What did you do to her?" He demanded angrily.

"Ronald! He didn't do anything! Now shut up!" Hermione sighed, exasperated at Ron's frequent verbal attacks on Draco.

Everyone started eating after a tense few moments and conversations started around the table, Fred and George joking around as usual. Draco sat there awkwardly and began to fill his plate from the serving dishes in the centre of the large table.

Ginny leaned towards Hermione and whispered, "So are you still engaged then?" She asked grimacing slightly.

Unfortunately Harry, who she was leaning across to reach Hermione, overheard her quietly asked question and choked on the piece of broccoli he had just placed in his mouth. Swallowing, he, very tactfully, said loudly "ENGAGED?" The table was suddenly very quiet as everyone turned to look at Hermione and Draco, Ron looking murderous.

Hermione glared at Harry and then she turned back to the rest of table and said clearly "No" just as Draco said the same thing.

Draco explained; "My parents wanted, want," he corrected himself, since Hermione was still pregnant; they would still be expected to marry, "us to get married." Then by way of obvious reasoning he stated, "Because of the baby."

"So is that why you need somewhere to stay then Mal- uh, Draco?" asked Harry, "You had a row with your parents?" Ron looked at Harry as though he had turned traitor just because he had used Malfoy's first name.

"Not" Ron said stubbornly, "that we have agreed for you to stay"

Draco scowled at Ron before turning back to Harry and replying, "Yes" he said slowly "but there was a lot more to it than that, it's more the result of the fight that has me in need of an alternate place of residence." He looked over at Hermione sadly then back down at his plate.

Everyone looked at the two of them clearly wanting more answers than they had been given.

Hermione sighed, "We may as well tell them now" she said quietly to Draco.

Draco cleared his throat when he realised that Hermione wanted him to be the one to tell them. "My father didn't take the news that we were refusing the engagement well." He told them all of the day's events, Hermione cutting in a few times, and they stayed silent, except for a few sharp intakes of breath, until he finished with, "and so I would really rather not see my father right now."

Everyone was suddenly either furious at Lucius or incredibly sympathetic towards Hermione and Draco. Molly and Ginny immediately rushed towards Hermione pulling her into a tight  
embrace, Molly who had burst into tears at the first mention of the previously unknown child's death; assured Draco that he could stay at The Burrow for as long as he needed.  
Hermione glanced over at Harry and the twins; who were glancing darkly across the table, discussing how they could murder Lucius without being caught.

Arthur was deep in thought, he suddenly said loudly; "Surely that is enough to get Lucius locked up in Azkaban!"

Hermione pulled out of Ginny's hug and said regrettably "Unfortunately, Lucius was right when he said he wasn't going to do anything illegal; although a lot of the old pureblood laws have been changed since the end of the war, it is still legal for a pureblood family to get rid of any bastard child that isn't pure of blood." Hermione of course pulled this bit of previously unimportant piece of information from the seemingly endless wealth of information she had stored inside her.

"That's bullshit!" said Harry, passionately.

Hermione nodded and put her head in her hands, she then realised that Ron, who was normally the first to get riled up over the smallest of things; especially if they involved the Malfoy's, hadn't said anything.

She looked up at him and saw that he had a rather unfazed look on his face. When he noticed her looking at him he just sneered and said coldly, "I don't see how having one less Malfoy in the world is such a problem. We should be thanking Lucius."

Everyone was shocked and they were all silent for moment before Hermione stood up bursting into tears, she screamed at Ron, "YOU FUCKING HEARTLESS PIG!" Before she turned and fled up the stairs.

Draco looked menacingly at Ron as he stood from his chair, "I know you don't care about me, or what I might be feeling at the loss of a child, but surely you care about Hermione?" He questioned Ron his voice full of simmering anger, "I thought you were supposed to be her friend?" he spat at the redhead.

"How you're feeling at the loss?" scoffed Ron, "As if you care, it's not like you wanted the kid! And as for Hermione, I do care about her; I care about her more than you do! I just can't see why she is so upset about losing a child she never knew she had, and she hadn't planned in the first place!" Ron was now on his feet as well.

Draco decided that it wasn't even worth his breath to answer the prat and with one last scowl at Ron he turned and made his way up the stairs to find Hermione.

"Hermione?" he called softly not knowing which room she would be in. When she didn't reply he started opening the door to each room and peering inside, he found her lying on her back on a small single bed, when he opened the third door on the landing. He made his way into the room closing the door behind him, blocking out the angry voices yelling at Ron that had started a few moments after he had left the room downstairs.

He didn't really know what to do or say, he wasn't used to comforting people; he was usually the one who upset them in the first place. He walked hesitantly over the bed and he knelt down beside Hermione. He didn't say anything; he just sat there with her.

She looked him in the eye after a few moments and said with conviction "You're a better man that he will ever be. I'm glad to be having a Malfoy child." He was stunned at her words and he didn't quite know what to say.

"Uh ..." he started before he was cut off by Hermione sitting up and pressing her lips against his in a chaste kiss; she pulled away just as Draco closed his eyes and leant into her.

She lay back down on the bed and patted the small space next to her indicating for him to lie down next to her. He uncertainly sat on the bed kicking his shoes off before he stretched out placing his head on the pillow. Hermione rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes. Draco timidly wound his arm around her shoulders, although he liked the feeling of her lying against him; he was slightly uncomfortable with the intimateness of the situation.

"Relax" She mumbled against his tense chest, and so he took a deep breath and closed his eyes, he pretended to himself that being so close to her in such an intimate position was completely normal. A few minutes later her heavy breathing let him know that she had fallen asleep; and he followed not long after.

That was how Ginny found them half an hour later when she opened the door to her room; fast asleep, wrapped around each other. She stood there shocked for a few moments before making her way silently to her own bed. She realised as she lay there listening to their breathing that even though they may not realise it - then again, maybe they had, she thought as she looked over at them - they were a pretty good match, they had quite a few things in common; they were both exceptionally smart and loyal, they both enjoyed reading, they were both bossy and often acted like they knew everything – although that could cause them to clash, Ginny mused – she didn't know Malfoy all that well, so there was probably more that they had in common. Her thoughts drifted off the subject of Hermione and Draco as she fell asleep.

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**A/N:** No Cliffie this time!! :o)

Hope this was ok.... not sure how I am at writing confrontational scenes!!

REVIEW!!!!! :o)


	10. Breakfast

**A/N: **Thankyou _Again_ to everyone who reviewed :o) I love reading them, they really give me incentive to write more, and to update so quickly!

After re-reading this chapter I realised it's a bt like a repeat of the last chapter... but I hope you enjoy it anyway, and the next chapter will be different and will probably/hopefully have some more lucius action (though I don't know as I havnt written it yet and my chapters don't always turn out the way I expect them to!!)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the characters or anything else in the Harry potter universe.... I am not JKR in disguise!

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**Chapter Ten**

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_***The Next Morning***_

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Draco awoke before Hermione, and he immediately pushed her off him, disgusted. As soon as he had done so, he felt incredibly bad, not something he normally felt, but he felt it all the same. He was glad that she didn't wake up, so she didn't have to see what his initial reaction was on waking. He found that in some moments he went back to being the pureblooded boy he had once been, especially when he had just woken up and wasn't thinking clearly. It was to be expected he supposed, given that he had spent 16 years of his life being that way.

He sighed and then silently got up and stretched out, he hadn't had the most comfortable night's sleep on the single bed, he had still been in his clothes and had been in a cramped position for the whole night. He made his way down stairs where he found Mrs Weasley cooking breakfast.

"Oh, good morning dear" She said when she saw him standing in the doorway.

"Uh, good morning," He replied awkwardly not quite knowing how to act. "Thank you for allowing me to stay in your home. I know that my family hasn't been all that, uh, polite, to yours in the past."

Molly went over and patted Malfoy on the cheek affectionately, he fought to keep a sneer off his face as she did this, "That's quite alright dear. I'm just sorry we couldn't give you a warmer welcome." Her face darkened as she thought of her youngest sons words the previous evening. "Now, what would you like for breakfast?" She shook herself out of her thoughts and continued to bustle around the kitchen, waving her wand at the eggs causing them to crack perfectly into the frying pan next to the sizzling bacon which she flipped with another flick of her wand. Some toast popped from the toaster and she sent it to land on a plate which already had a few pieces of toast on it, it obviously had a heating charm on it to keep the toast hot.

Ginny and Hermione came downstairs then, "Good morning" sang Ginny in the direction of Draco and Molly as she skipped down the stairs.

Hermione smiled at Draco as she walked passed him into the kitchen to get plates out to set the table for breakfast. She took the plates of toast and the bacon and eggs that Mrs. Weasley had just put onto plates out onto the table as well, while Ginny got out glasses and jugs of Juice, when she had put those on the table she made a pot of tea.

Fred and George were next to come down and they immediately sat down at the table and began to pile their plates with bacon and eggs. Molly pushed Draco towards the table and urged him to eat. So he sat down and put a few slices of bacon an egg and a piece of toast on his plate, Hermione, Ginny and Molly sat down at the table just as Harry came down the stairs.

"Ron will be down soon" he said as he sat down and filled his own plate, "maybe it would be better if Malfoy was gone when he came down."

Hermione glared at Harry, "Draco will be staying for as long as he wants, Ronald can just learn to live with it!" Harry just shrugged at Hermione as if to say 'whatever you want, you're the one who has to deal with him!'

"What will I have to learn to live with?" Yawned Ron as he came down the stairs. He stopped at the bottom of them when he saw Malfoy sitting at the table. "What the hell is he still doing here?" He said; his voice full of outrage. "It's 10:30! He could have left ages ago!"

Molly turned to look at her son with displeasure, "What did we talk about last night Ronald Weasley? Draco is a guest in this house, and even if the two of you don't get on, I expect you to at least be civil."

Hermione glared at Ron as he sat down and started loading his plate up with food. Hermione grabbed a piece of toast and accidently tore a hole in it while she buttered it mercilessly, clearly mad.

Draco grabbed her hand to try and calm her down and whispered "It's alright. Don't worry about him, he's a git."

Ron stopped eating, a rare occurrence at the dining table, and narrowed his eyes at Draco, "Don't touch her, Ferret." He said through gritted teeth.

Draco raised his eyebrows at this and looked at Ron in amusement, the smirk playing across his lips made it clear exactly what he was thinking about, and it _definitely_ didn't involve not touching Hermione. He looked over at Hermione, still holding his hand – which she had tightened her grip on at Ron's words – and looked her up and down appreciatively, his tongue darting out and moistening his lips. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it gently, he watched Ron as he did this; clearly taunting him.

Fred and George laughed at Malfoy's little show and watched as Ron's face grew red and the muscles in his jaw twitched.

"Get, your, hands, off, of, her!" Ron demanded, his voice full of warning.

"Or what Ronald?" Hermione demanded to know.

Ron stood up, his anger exploding, "How can you bare to have him touch you? He's MALFOY! He's Death Eater scum! How dare you leave me for him? And how can you even consider keeping _his_ child?" Ron ranted, enraged.

Molly was making soothing noises to Ron trying to get him to sit down and behave himself, but he was ignoring her glaring daggers at Hermione. Harry clearly didn't want to take sides, as he was busily eating with his eyes on his plate. Ginny was looking almost as Mad as Hermione and had to keep herself from jumping out of seat and decking her brother. Luckily, a moment later; Hermione did it for her.

Fuming, Hermione took the few steps across the room towards him, pulled her arm back and punched him in the jaw with all her strength.

Fred and George started laughing uproariously and cheering for Hermione after her show of violence. Draco, who had been staring daggers at Ron after the Death Eater comment, also burst out laughing at the shocked look on Ron's face, he wasn't envious of the red headed prat; he knew from experience that Hermione packed one hell of a punch. Even Harry cracked a grin, though he forced it away quickly in case Ron saw and got mad at him as well. Molly sat there looking shocked at Hermione, though she supposed Ron deserved it so she didn't say anything.

"OW!" yelled Ron, "What the hell was that for? Shit Hermione that HURT!"

"What was that for? What was that for?" Hermione looked incredulously at Ron "That, was for telling me that my baby deserved to die, that was for thinking that you still had a right to tell me who to associate with, that was for being so horrible to me all throughout my pregnancy, because I slept with someone else when you had no right, NO RIGHT, to get angry at me for having sex with another man, YOU'RE the one who cheated on ME Ron!" Hermione looked ferociously at Ron, then added "And just so you know, Draco has been kinder to me and more of a gentleman and has been a better person in general than you have been in quite a while, so don't tell him how to treat me, because he has had more of a right to be upset with me than you have and he has treated me far better than you have in the last few days!" She raged at him, tears glistening in her eyes, not even knowing if what she was saying made any sense but she was too riled up to notice or care.

She spun on her heel and stomped back to her seat wiping the tears of anger out of her eyes – while Fred and George were still wiping tears of laughter out of theirs – and sat back down next to Draco and continued eating her breakfast. Ron just stood there looking shocked before grabbing more toast and storming from the room. Molly got up from her seat and hurried out of the room after Ron looking incensed.

Once everyone at the table had calmed down slightly and finished breakfast - during which Harry and Draco actually had a civilised, albeit heated, discussion about quidditch – Draco started to clear away the dishes and Hermione got up to help him. Once they were in the kitchen by themselves, Draco turned to Hermione.

"Is there somewhere in this house where we can talk more privately? Or should we go out, perhaps for lunch, to discuss things?" He asked Hermione

"Lunch would probably be better in terms of privacy." She said, then smirked as she added "I think a restaurant may be a good idea if we want to get any talking in."

Draco grinned back, "Well I guess it's lucky that I can't go home anytime soon and there is no guarantee of privacy here." His eyes started to darken as he thought about what they could end up doing if given the privacy.

"What are you two smiling about?" Ginny had come into the room carrying more dishes. Hermione blushed as she said "Oh, nothing" and Draco just scowled at her for interrupting what he was sure would have become a very passionate snog in a few moments time. Ginny just raised her eyebrows at the pair before dumping the dirty dishes and leaving the room.

Draco flicked his wand at the dishes and they started washing themselves in the sink.

"Hey, I was going to actually wash those." Hermione said.

Draco just looked at her like she was crazy before asking, "So shall we go to Diagon Alley later on today and find somewhere where we can talk over lunch?"

"Sure" Hermione replied, "That would probably be a good idea."

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**A/N:** So what it too much like the last chapter?? better/worse? boring/fun? Let me know!! :o)

I would like to dedicate the punch that Hermione gave Ron to 'lacking a better name'. As she asked me so nicely :o) (she has also reviewed just about every chapter.... thank you everyone else who has done the same!)

The next chapter will be in Diagon Alley!!

Thanks for reading and as always.... REVIEW!! :o)


	11. Just a Trial

**A/N:** My longest chapter yet :o)

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter is not mine!! (Though I wish he was!)

**Chapter Eleven**

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_***Diagon Alley***_

_.  
_

Hermione and Draco were sitting in the back corner of one of the many cafes in Diagon Alley.

"So," Hermione started, after they had ordered their lunch, "Where do you want to start? Was there anything in particular you wanted to talk about?"

"Well I suppose we need to think about where we want to live when the baby is born, we can't, for obvious reasons, stay at the Manor." Draco said this all very calmly.

Hermione nearly spat her drink all over him but managed to swallow just in time, causing herself to choke on some water that went down the wrong way; she coughed and spluttered for nearly a minute, Malfoy looking both concerned and amused at the same time as he asked her if she was alright.

Finally she managed to choke out "What? Who said anything about living together?"

"Well, it's really the only option, Granger" Malfoy smirked at her.

Hermione cleared the remaining tickle from her throat "Oh? And why is that?" She said sounding rather miffed.

"I have every intention of being in my child's life, Hermione." He said as though that was a perfectly obvious reason for having to live together.

"Yes, I know that. But I still don't know why that means we have to _live_ together." She huffed, clearly disgruntled.

The waitress came over with their meals then, and Hermione plastered an incredibly fake smile on her face which faded back to a frown as the girl started giggling and fluttering her eyelashes at Draco. She cleared her throat, "Thank you" she said to the girl in a very obvious 'please go away now' tone. This humoured Draco and he chuckled at her almost possessive display.

"Why does that mean we have to live together?" Hermione repeated, prompting Malfoy to continue the conversation.

"Because" He said after swallowing a bite of pie, "Otherwise I would have to take the child with me, and that might get a bit exhausting for you, having to floo or apparate to wherever I'm living every few hours to feed her."

Hermione raised her eyebrows at this, "Or..." she said "she lives with me, and you can visit a few times a week"

Now it was Malfoy's turn to frown at Hermione, "Granger, I will not live away from my child, and I certainly will not only see her a few times a week; that is just not acceptable."

"Ok ... fine, what if you can visit her whenever you want?" Hermione asked, "That's as far as I'm willing to go though, there is no way we are living with each other; we barely even like each other!" Hermione was exasperated at the very idea of moving in with him.

Draco's face hardened at her comment about barely liking each other, but the look passed and he smirked, "Alright then, Granger. If I get to visit _whenever_ I want, it's a deal."

"Draco, you are not planning on visiting _all_ the time are you?" she asked with one eyebrow raised.

Draco's smirk morphed into an all out grin "Whatever gave you that impression?"

Hermione sighed and shook her head at him, "Look, I really don't think living together is a good idea, we may not hate each other anymore, but we aren't exactly best friends, we'd fight all the time!"

"You realise we pretty much already lived with each other all last year at Hogwarts? And I doubt we would fight as much now as we did then."

"It was only a few months ago, what makes you think we'll fight any less?" Hermione was getting irritated.

"It may have only been a few months ago, but I think that we have matured a lot in that time, besides we never had any reason to be nice to each other at school, most of the time we argued just because we could, there was no real anger in our fights, by the end of the year at least." Draco was still trying to convince her that living together would work out, "look, why don't we find a place and see how it goes for a few months and if it doesn't work out you can move, or I can move. And then I am still able visit you and our daughter, who we need to think of a name for by the way, whenever I want; without being at your place constantly."

Hermione sighed, "Fine, but it's just a trial!"

Draco grinned in victory, "Just a trial" He assured her.

* * *

_***Three Weeks Later***_

_.  
_

Draco and Hermione had looked for a place to live for two weeks until they found a place they were happy with. During the rest of the time Draco was staying at The Burrow he slept in Percy's old room. He actually got along quite well with Fred and George and with Ginny, Harry was civil enough and they had had a few decent conversations over the few weeks, there were only a few episodes where Ron completely lost his temper but he never said anything as hurtful as he had before and most of the time he just ignored Malfoy. Ron had apologised to Hermione when she and Draco had come back from Diagon Alley, and Hermione believed that he was completely sincere, though she was still having trouble completely forgiving him.

.

_***Flashback***_

_.  
_

"Hermione, can I talk to you for a moment?" Ron had asked when she and Draco had walked through the door.

She scowled at him but then agreed, "I suppose so." Ron had turned and walked up to his room looking back a few times to make sure she was following. Draco had grabbed her arm to stop her from going with Ron, but she just shook him off and continued up the stairs.

When they were in his room and he had closed the door behind them she crossed her arms, "What's this about Ron?" she demanded.

Ron looked Nervous as he said, "I, I want to apologize." He looked down at his feet.

"Did Molly put you up to this?" She asked accusingly.

"No! no, well, yes, but I really am sorry! I didn't mean any of it." He defended himself.

"You didn't mean it?" She asked incredulously.

"No. I was, _am_, jealous."

"Jealous?" Hermione was confused, "Of what?"

"Of Malfoy!" He spat Draco's name out.

"Why on earth are you jealous of Draco?"

"He has the woman I love." Ron mumbled quietly, still not looking Hermione in the eye.

"Ron, you don't love me! If you did, you wouldn't have cheated on me with lavender – which if you hadn't done, none of this would be happening – and you would _never_ have said those things to me! Be serious!" Hermione scoffed. "And for information, Draco doesn't have me! We are not dating."

"Oh, so you just fall asleep in all guys' arms then?" He demanded, he had overheard Ginny telling Harry about how cute they looked earlier that day.

"Ron, we are having a baby together, we're allowed to be affectionate."

Ron just raised his eyebrows at her, then his face softened as he asked "So, do you, will you, accept my apology, I really didn't mean to hurt you! I admit, I don't really care about hurting Malfoy but I never wanted to hurt you! Well, I did at the time, but I was really mad and I wasn't thinking. I'm really sorry, Mione! Please forgive me!"

"Look, Ron, I'm really hurt by the things you said, but I understand that you're sorry. And if you don't keep being such a prat then I suppose I can forgive you eventually." She said slowly. "It will take time, but I still want to keep your friendship Ron."

Ron smiled then, and Hermione realised that she had missed him, she found herself smiling softly back at him.

At dinner that night, when Hermione grudgingly announced that she and Draco were going to move in together, Ron went crazy yet again, Hermione just sighed, but then, to everyone's surprise and astonishment, he stopped mid-sentence and sat down saying "Sorry, Mione" and spending the rest of the meal glaring at his plate; as if he had directed his anger towards it instead of yelling at Draco and Hermione.

_***End Flashback***_

_.  
_

"No, the couch should go over there by that wall and then we can put the TV here" Hermione and Draco could not agree on where their things would go in their new home.

"But then there's not enough room for the coffee table to go in front of it, why do we need a silly TB anyway?" Draco complained

"T.V. Draco not TB" Hermione giggled. "Look how about we put it there then, it may not look as nice, but at least we can fit the coffee table and the TV in front of it without it being too cramped." She negotiated, directing the couch around the small room with her wand.

"Alright, fine, I suppose that works." Draco agreed bitterly upset that he didn't get his own way.

His father had owled him four times in the past three weeks and each time he had thrown the parchment into the fire without reading it, when he got a letter from his mother a week ago, he almost did the same thing but then he ripped it open and read it.

The letter read:

_Draco Darling,_

_Where are you? You're father and I, are getting worried about you._

_Please let us know where you are staying, I'm sure we can work out whatever it is you are mad at us for. Is it to do with Miss Granger? Is this about getting married? You're father told me that there wouldn't be any need to continue the wedding plans. So I don't understand why you are angry. Or hasn't he told you that he has changed his mind? _

_How _did_ you manage to convince him that you needn't marry right away?_

_Draco I do wish we could talk about all of this in person, please come home._

_Love always,_

_Narcissa_

A few minutes after he threw it in the fire he grabbed a piece of parchment and scribbled out a hasty reply:

_Mother,_

_I do not wish to ever see Father again._

_I am moving out of The Manor, if you could, would you send my things to The Burrow; that is the Weasley family home. _

_Please do not share the information of my current whereabouts with Father._

_I will be moving into a flat with Hermione next week. It's just a trial, to see how living together works out. _

_Perhaps we should meet for morning tea sometime? I think you should know what father has done. Let me know when you are available. If we are to meet, you mustn't tell Father. Nor are you to tell him that Hermione is still pregnant._

_Your son,_

_Draco_

Her reply had come the next day:

_Draco,_

_What do you mean you are moving out of The Manor?_

_I'm sure if we all talk about it we can work out whatever the problem is. There is no need for such drastic measures Draco. What could Lucius have done that has caused you to hate him? I'm sure you are overreacting; you always were rather dramatic as a child._

_We will talk about this before I send any of your things. And what on earth are you staying at the Weasley's for? Surely you could have stayed with Blaise? Or even Pansy._

_I don't have much time this week, so how about you come home for lunch on Monday?_

_You can bring Miss Granger along if you wish, and we can talk about you moving out of home._

_Your loving Mother,_

_Narcissa_

Draco gritted his teeth as he scribbled a letter in reply.

_There will be no discussions mother, I am moving out. Please kindly send my things, before next week, as that is when we will be moving into the new place._

_This is one problem that cannot be worked out. I am not overreacting, if anything I have been exceedingly calm about the whole thing. I am staying with the Weasley's because that is where Hermione is, and this way father won't know where I am, he is too friendly with Mrs. Zabini and Mr. And Mrs Parkinson, he would have known where I was a few minutes after I arrived. _

_How about after Hermione and I have moved in, you come and visit us?_

_How about next Wednesday? We should have finished moving by then._

_-Draco_

So they were having Narcissa around tomorrow for afternoon tea. And they hadn't even nearly finished moving in, due to the number of arguments they were having about where to place things and which rooms would be what.

"No, this room is going to be my room, not yours." Hermione was very clear on this point.

"What?" Draco complained "Why?"

"Because," Hermione explained slowly, "This room is the biggest, and I need the bigger room so that I can fit a crib in it, as well as all the other baby things."

"Well why have we painted that other room to be the babies if she's going to sleep in here?" Draco asked, confused.

"Because that's where she will sleep when she is older, while she is still really young she will need to sleep in the same room as me so that I can get up and feed her during the night."

"Oh, well, how about I get the bigger room before the baby is born and then we can swap. That would be fair wouldn't it?" Draco tried a compromise.

"No, because this room has an ensuite; and as a pregnant woman I need to use the toilet a lot more than you." Hermione said calmly, there was no way she was giving up this room, it was large, had an ensuite bathroom, and on top of that it had the best view in the whole flat.

"Fine" said Draco sulking, and then he grinned, "So, you're planning on still being here when the baby comes then?"

"Yes" She said, getting Draco's hopes up that she had forgotten about the 'trial' idea, but then she added, "Whether or not you will be here is a different story." She smirked at him and he glared back at her.

Once they had finally decided on where everything was going to go they were exhausted and so Hermione decided to order take-away instead of cooking dinner. They were living in muggle London, so she had gotten a phone line connected so that she could keep in contact with her parents.

She asked Draco what he wanted on his pizza and he looked at her as if she was speaking another language, - which she supposed she almost was since pizza is Italian – and he asked her what on earth pizza was.

"Don't worry I'll just get you what I'm having."

She ordered large pepperoni pizza and was told that it would take about 30 minutes to get there.

She sat down on the couch with a glass of orange juice and turned the TV on; Draco sat down next to her to see what this TV thing was all about.

After all his complaining about why they needed a TV earlier that day, he sat riveted watching the episode of Gossip Girl that had just started, he hardly even looked up when the pizza delivery man knocked on the door.

Just as Hermione was closing the door Draco yelled out in shock and she almost dropped the pizza she was carrying.

"What's wrong?" She called out slightly panicked as she hurried back into the room.

Draco was pointing at the TV, where the ad for a new movie that was coming out, 'Twilight', was just finishing. "It was; I'm sure that, that was Cedric Diggory! That vampire was Diggory." Draco gasped out.

Hermione started laughing, "Well, Cedric was extremely sexy; it's no surprise that some movie star looks a bit like him." He glowered when she mentioned Cedric's attractiveness. As she put the pizza box on the table the ads finished and Gossip Girl came back on, Draco's attention was immediately diverted from the Cedric Diggory look alike.

Hermione laughed at the interest he was showing towards the episode of Gossip Girl, but then, he would probably have been interested in anything that was on TV, wizards may have moving pictures but they don't have moving pictures that tell a story.

She offered him the pizza and he looked at the box in confusion, so she took a piece out of the box and bit into it. He followed suit, and looked like he didn't know whether he liked it or not.

"What do you think?" Hermione asked him

"Uh, it tastes pretty good, but it's a bit too greasy." He explained.

They stayed silent for a while just relaxing on the couch, and Hermione eventually fell asleep after a tiring day.

Draco went to turn the TV off when he saw that Hermione was asleep but he didn't know how, so he left it on as he picked her up bridal style and carried her carefully to her room. She woke up slightly when he pulled the covers back and lay her down on the bed, but she fell asleep again after a moment. Draco could have watched her sleep all night, she looked so peaceful, he only realised how much stress and emotion she held in face constantly when he saw her asleep.

He debated whether or not he should take her jeans off, and decided that she would be more comfortable without them so he undid them and started to pull them down, slowly so he didn't wake her. When her jeans were almost half way down her thighs he saw that she was wearing a pair of silk knickers, in a colour very close to Slytherin green. He had to bite his lip to stop himself from moaning, even though they were stretched over her swollen belly, if anything that made her all the more attractive to him.

He must have pulled her jeans down more harshly then, because she woke up. "Oi!" She groaned groggily pushing his hands away; she raised her eyes to glare at him, as she kicked her jeans off herself. Then she saw the way he was looking at her - bottom lip between his teeth, his grey eyes dark - and her breath caught.

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**A/N: **I argued with myself over whether I should put the little twilight reference in, and in the end I just couldnt resist.. Im sorry it was really lame! haha.

and I know you're all hating at me atm for where I finished haha, that's just me being evil... you won't know until I post the next chapter whethe she pulls the covers up and tells him to leave or if our lovely Draco gets some action!! haha.

anyway let me know your thoughts!! :o)


	12. Confessions

**A/N:** Sorry it has taken me a bit longer to update this time, I have exams at the moment so I don't have all that much time to spend writing.

Thank you so much for all the reviews! :o)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything to do with the harry potter universe, nor any of the characters.

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

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_....Then she saw the way he was looking at her - bottom lip between his teeth, grey eyes dark - and her breath caught...._

_.  
_

"Hermione" Draco whispered; his voice gruff, he cleared his throat and averted his eyes for a second, "I've been trying to tell you something for a while now" He said quietly, sinking to his knee's by the bed so that he was closer to her eye level. He stayed silent looking like he wanted to say something but couldn't quite get the words out.

"Yes, Draco?" Hermione prompted, not knowing why her heart was beating so fast.

"I" He started, then sighed before rushing out, "I really like you, Hermione; I have done since about half way through last year." He looked away then and added, "I know, you probably don't like me in that way, In fact, I know you don't, you keep saying as much. I just, I thought that you should know, especially now that we are living together. I think, I think that there is a very high risk that I might fall in love with you." His voice wobbled and caught slightly on the word love.

Hermione didn't know what to say, she just stared at him; trying to work out what exactly she was feeling at his confession. Draco looked at her again for second before leaning in and planting a kiss on her forehead; then he stood and left the room closing the door behind him saying a soft 'goodnight' as he went.

Hermione stared at the door in a bit of a daze before her face broke into a huge grin and she pulled up the covers falling asleep with a smile on her face.

Draco cursed himself as he left, thinking that he shouldn't have said anything, and while Hermione was falling asleep in happy contentment, Draco tossed and turned his stomach clenched in worry about how he should act around her now, how was _she_ going to act around him now? He must have eventually fallen into a restless sleep as he woke up to light streaming through his window; he had forgotten to close the curtains. He groaned and rolled over his face pressing against his pillow, but it was no use he wasn't going to get anymore sleep. Resigning himself to being awake for the day he got up and headed to the bathroom down the hall to shower.

Hermione awoke with a smile still plastered on her face, not quite sure if what Draco had said the night before had actually happened or if it was just a dream, it certainly hadn't been a very Malfoy like thing to say. She bit her lip, she still wasn't sure why his confession made her so happy, well she supposed she did know; it just wasn't something she really wanted to admit to herself. This was assuming, of course, that she hadn't dreamed it all.

When they had both showered and come out for breakfast – and Hermione showed Draco how to turn the television off – they sat next to each other at the kitchen bench in a slightly awkward silence, sipping there tea.

"So" Hermione started, "You're mum is coming around today."

"Yep" Draco said darkly; clearly not happy about her coming visit. After a pause he said "Hermione, about last night, I, I probably shouldn't have said anything." He averted his eyes from her.

'_So it wasn't a dream' _Hermione thought and a smile spread across her face. She turned her body to face his and waited until he looked up at her again. His eyes looked so vulnerable but they filled with hope when he saw the happy way she was looking at him. She leant forwards and pressed her lips against his closing her eyes slowly. He groaned and a grin spread across his lips as she kissed him, he pulled her off her chair and gathered her into his arms running his tongue along the seam of her lips seeking entrance into her mouth; she granted him access and he deepened the kiss. Draco made a sound deep in the back of his throat as their tongues brushed.

Hermione gave him four quick chaste kisses as she broke away panting for breath before she spoke.

"I hadn't realised until I heard how you felt, but, I think I like you too, I think, I just didn't want to admit it to myself before." Her voice was slightly breathy as she said this; her lips still close to his.

Draco threaded his fingers through her hair and pulled her face back to his and kissed her again. Elated that she felt the same way as he did, or almost the same way at least, he groaned into her mouth.

He pulled back after a little while and checked the time on the clock on the wall, he groaned – only an hour until his mother arrived.

"We need to get ready for my mother's visit." He told Hermione brushing her hair back from her face. He smiled at her flushed face and couldn't resist giving her another kiss.

"Ok" She said pulling away from his lips, "What is she expecting? Sandwiches? Scones? Tea, coffee? Lemonade?" she asked him.

Malfoy grimaced, "She will probably be expecting that we have anything she may possibly feel like on hand."

"Well" Said Hermione, "she will just have to put up with whatever we server her."

"I suppose so" Draco said with a grin, getting up from the stool. He had to shift his pants to make himself more comfortable – after kissing Hermione like that he needed a cold shower – he supposed he would just have to wait until the discomfort went away, no doubt the sight of his mother would work nicely if he hadn't calmed down before then.

Hermione set about making scones while Draco fixed up the last little touches in the flat, putting the artwork from his room in the manor on the walls of their lounge room and making sure that the wards on the fireplace would allow his mother through if she chose to arrive that way.

When Narcissa arrived via apparition and knocked on their door an hour later, she turned up her nose at their small comfortable flat.

"Draco" She greeted her son when she arrived, "I do wish you would have come home for tea" She looked disapprovingly about the lounge room as she followed her son inside. "Hello Miss Granger" She greeted Hermione coldly as though it had been Hermione's idea that her son live in such a 'hovel'.

"Mrs. Malfoy" Hermione nodded to the older, more sophisticated, woman in reply.

"Take a seat, Mother" Draco gestured towards an armchair.

"Can I get you anything to eat or drink Mrs. Malfoy?" Hermione asked

"Some tea would be lovely." Narcissa replied, her eyebrows rising in surprise as Hermione went off to the kitchen to fetch the refreshments herself. "You don't have a house elf?" She asked, clearly taken aback.

"No" said Draco, "Hermione doesn't agree with keeping slaves" he explained

"Well" Said Narcissa "I will have one of the elves at the Manor come here, I rather thought that you would have had Mipsy come with you when you decided to move."

"I don't think Hermione would agree with that."

"What wouldn't I agree with?" asked Hermione as she came back into the room carry a tray laden with a pot of tea, a jug of milk, a small bowl of sugar, three tea cups with matching saucers, a plate of scones with little pots of jam and a bowl of cream; everything had been shrunk down to fit on the tray and she enlarged everything with a flick of her wand after she had taken the plate of scones off the tray and placed it and the tray on the coffee table.

"A house elf" replied Draco.

"No, I would not." Hermione huffed as she handed Narcissa a cup of tea on a saucer gesturing to the milk and sugar so she could fix it how she liked. Hermione continued on a rant about house elf abuse and her old S.P.E.W. campaign to free the house elves from slave labour. Narcissa just looked amused.

"So Draco, why exactly do you feel the need to be away from your father and I at the moment?" Narcissa asked looking disapprovingly at her son when Hermione had finished her lecture on the rights of magical creatures.

"Well, Hermione and I want to talk to you about that." Draco said slightly nervous he grabbed hold of Hermione's hand; she was sitting beside him on the couch.

"I'm sure whatever it is can be sorted out, and you can come home" She glanced around the room, "Hopefully soon" She sneered.

"No, mother, nothing you say will get me home, if I never speak to my father again, it would be too soon."

"And why is that?" Narcissa quirked an eyebrow at her son, "This is just a momentary anger Draco, You will be over it soon enough. Now tell me, what has your father done to enrage you this time?"

Draco had been getting angrier and angrier every time his mother belittled his anger and when she asked him what his father had done, he burst "HE FUCKING KILLED MY SON!!"

Hermione gripped his hand hard, her heart was aching again, and she could feel tears prickling behind her eyes.

Narcissa's face paled and her mouth hung open in shock – very un Malfoy like – she looked at Hermione's stomach, "Wh, What?" She stammered "Hermione is still pregnant. What do you mean Draco? Had you impregnated another young woman?" She sneered as she asked the last question.

"No," Hermione said quietly "We were having twins."

Narcissa was silent for a moment "Twins? Surely it was an accident, your father must be just as upset as you are, Draco, how could be so harsh on him?" Narcissa did not want to believe that her husband was capable of murdering their grandchildren.

"It was no accident" spat Draco, "Miscarriage charms don't just slip from the tongue by accident" He sneered.

"Miscarriage charm?" Narcissa breathed looking stunned.

"Draco tried to push me out of the way" explained Hermione, "but the spell still hit me in the side; that's why only one of the babies was harmed."

"I, I don't believe it. Lucius wouldn't. No Lucius would never." Narcissa shook her head in disbelief.

"WELL, HE DID!" yelled Draco standing from his chair. "And no amount of denial will bring our son back!" He stood there glowering at his mother.

"Oh Gods, I'm so sorry." Narcissa said sincerely to the two of them. The shock started to fade and anger was taking its place. "How could he?" He voice was choked. "I'm sorry Draco, Hermione; I am afraid I am going to have to cut our visit short." Her eyes were flashing with rage. She stood and disapparated from the room without waiting for their reply.

* * *

**A/N: **Sorry, no smut in this chapter. But there will be soon I promise. haha

Some people have been asking how far along Hermione is.... she is 14 weeks pregnant, or slightly over. so she is showing but she isnt huge yet.

I hope this chapter was ok! Please review, let me know what you think!! :o)


	13. Narcissa vs Lucius

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything to do with Harry Potter.

**A/N: **Ok, I wasn't going to write another chapter until my exams were over... but... I, uh, decided to take a _little_ break from studying... and well I wrote another chapter haha!! oh dear.... Im going to fail my exams! :o(

Anyway, It's rather short... but I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

.

**Chapter Thirteen**

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_...."I'm sorry Draco, Hermione; I am afraid I am going to have to cut our visit short." Narcissa's eyes were flashing with rage. She stood and disapparated from the room without waiting for their reply...._

Narcissa Malfoy apparated directly into her husband's study, her face tensed in anger.

Lucius was startled by her sudden appearance and he spilt some of the brandy that he had been pouring into a glass. He glared at his wife "What do you think you're doing? Look what you made me do!" He waved his wand at the spillage and it disappeared, "You know I don't like people barging in uninvited!"

"Yes, well, I don't like people killing my grandchildren!" Narcissa retorted

Lucius paled – or he would have if he had any pigmentation in his skin to begin with – then masked his face with a sneer "What are you on about now, woman?"

"What am I on about?" You could almost see the sparks of rage flying off her, "What am I on about? I'm talking about you performing a miscarriage charm on Hermione Granger, causing her to lose one of Draco's children! YOU KILLED DRACO'S SON!" She screamed.

Lucius stood up and growled "It was a bastard half blood, he should be thanking me!" Narcissa drew her wand and yelled "How dare you?! After all the miscarriages I have had over the years! You ...." Her voice trailed off and her eyes widened as she saw the look on Lucius's face at the mention of the miscarriages that she had had.

"No" She shook her head in disbelief, tears coming to her eyes, "No" she said again; her voice choked. "You wouldn't have" She closed her eyes for a moment "You did, didn't you! You killed our babies! You killed your own children!" Her voice was quieter now as she took in this information, her face grief stricken.

"They were girls!" Lucius spat "I refuse to let the Malfoy heir be a female!"

"And what about after we had Draco? Why those children? You had your male heir then! Why?" Narcissa sobbed.

"Well," Lucius started "I realised how much effort went into raising just one child, how much trouble children were. I didn't need any more: I had my heir." Lucius shrugged as if this was a perfectly reasonable excuse for killing his unborn children without even consulting his wife.

"And now? Why kill Draco's child? Why kill the next Malfoy heir?"

"I may not care so much about other people's blood anymore, but I don't want the Malfoy line tainted. I was willing to overlook this fact if they were married but there was no way I was going to let the Malfoy heir be both a bastard and half blood. That would have been too much!"

"Well" Narcissa sneered, "I hope their remaining child is a girl just to spite you Lucius"

"What?" Lucius asked, clearly confused. "He hasn't gone and gotten her pregnant again has he?" He asked in disbelief.

"No, turns out they were having twins! And you're curse only hit one of them. Of course, I was too shocked about the murder of my grandson to ask about the sex of the surviving child." Narcissa explained to him her voice full of venom. "And don't you DARE try to harm that one! Trust me, you will regret it if you so much as poke Hermione's stomach with your wand!"

Lucius stood there look mad, "TWINS" he spat angrily to himself as Narcissa strode towards the door. She stopped in the doorway and turned back to Lucius.

"Oh" she said as though only just remembering something else, "I want a divorce." She said before slamming the door behind her leaving a shocked and angry Lucius Malfoy in her wake.

.

* * *

.

"I need a place to stay" Draco looked up as he heard is mother's voice coming from the fireplace, "Can I stay here for a few nights?" Narcissa asked her son.

He looked at Hermione who was resting her head against his shoulder; after Narcissa had gone they had stayed on the couch comforting each other without saying much.

Hermione shrugged as she sat up, and Draco turned back to his mother, "Uh, sure I guess so."

A moment later Narcissa stepped out of the flames with a large suitcase in hand. "You're father and I, are getting a divorce." She said to her son after brushing soot off her expensive robes.

Draco looked surprised but before he could say anything Narcissa spoke again; "Please, tell me you're surviving child is a baby girl?!"

There was a moment's pause before Hermione confirmed, "Yes, yes we're having a little girl."

Narcissa sighed in relief and smirked to herself "Serves Lucius right." She chuckled at the irony of it. "So where will I be sleeping?" she asked, indicating that her suitcase needed to be put away. "And I refuse to sleep on a couch" she added seriously.

"Uh," Draco and Hermione looked at each other; they didn't have a spare bedroom.

"I suppose" said Draco slowly, a smirk forming on his lips, "You will have to sleep in my room" His smirk became a grin as added "I will just have to sleep with Granger in her room." He stood up and took the suitcase from his mother, he showed her to his room. As he grabbed some spare clothes and things for himself he saw his mother scrutinising the small room; she was clearly not happy with it. He wondered why she was staying here. She could have stayed with any one of her friends, who all lived in houses which came close to the Manor in elegance and style. He supposed she was here for same reason he had stayed with the Weasley's rather than any of _his_ friends.

Draco dropped off his clothes in Hermione's room on their way back to the lounge room. Narcissa asked him when they were sitting back around the small coffee table; "Do either of you have an owl I could use?" They both nodded; Hermione had gotten herself an owl after Crookshanks had passed away last year. Narcissa pulled out her wand and summoned some ink, a quill and some parchment and she set about writing a quick note to her soon-to-be-ex-husband.

_Lucius,_

_In just under five months time, we will be the grandparents of a beautiful, Bastard, Half Blooded, little _Girl_. _

_Isn't that just marvellous news?_

_Wishing you all the worst_

_Sincerely,_

_Narcissa Malfoy nee Black_

_P.S. I will be contacting my lawyer tomorrow; I suggest you do the same. I'll see you in court._

_.  
_

That evening Hermione cooked lasagne for dinner. She and Mrs. Malfoy actually got along quite well – which was a surprise to them both. None of them mentioned babies or miscarriages or marriage again that night after Narcissa told them about her confrontation with Lucius.

After desert – homemade apple pie – Narcissa bid them goodnight, and left Hermione and Draco alone together in the quiet kitchen.

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**A/N:** Ok... so now you _really_ want the next chapter hehe... I thought that there would be more smut in this story when I first started writing it... but it hasn't turned out that way yet... :o)

anyway... what did you think?? Please Review!!

.

and this time I really won't be updating until my exams are finished, haha!!! :o)

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**REVIEW!!**


	14. Passion

**Disclaimer:**Nothing in the Harry Potter universe belongs to me, I just like to make the characters do things that they never would otherwise!!

**A/N: **Finally! A new chapter!! ... So sorry about the long wait... I just hope I havn't lost all my readers.

**Chapter Fourteen**

_....After desert – homemade apple pie – Narcissa bid them goodnight, and left Hermione and Draco_ _alone together in the quiet kitchen...._

As soon as Narcissa was out of the room there was an awkward tension in the room Hermione and Draco sat in silence for a few moments until the fridge started humming, startling them out of their thoughts.

Hermione stood up and started clearing the dishes from the table - the washing up would give her something to do - but Draco flicked his wand and they flew to the sink from her hands and started washing themselves up. Hermione tried to glare at him but the look melted from her face when she saw the almost predatory way he was looking at her. Draco stood from his seat and stalked towards her with easy grace, keeping eye contact.

Hermione took a few steps backwards as he advanced on her, until she hit the bench behind her. Draco smirked as he stepped up close to her, bracing his hands either side of her on the counter.

Hermione made a small noise deep in the back of her throat and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his face down to her level. Draco was shocked; he had thought that he would be the one making all the first moves - especially after seeing her back away from him - his eyes widened as Hermione crushed her mouth against his, a sigh escaping her lips at the contact.

He kissed her back and watched as her eyelids fluttered closed, his own drifted shut a moment later. Draco ran his tongue along the seam of her lips and moved his hands to her hair as she granted him access. After a minute he pulled away again, his eyes were glazed and he was panting hard; he took her hand and pulled her in the direction of her bedroom. Hermione stumbled slightly as he tugged on her arm and he steadied her before scooping her up in his arms and carrying her into her bedroom, kicking the door closed behind him.

Draco dropped Hermione onto her large bed unceremoniously; causing her to squeal and glare at him as she bounced slightly. Draco ignored her complaints and crawled up the bed until he was hovering over her - his eyes glazed with hungry passion.

He leant down and roughly recaptured Hermione's lips with his, glad that they were finally alone since admitting their feelings to one another. They may have had sex before, but tonight he would make love to the beautiful woman underneath him. The passion that Draco was feeling caused him to moan against Hermione's lips.

Hermione propped herself up on one arm and wrapped the other around Draco's neck to draw his mouth tighter against hers, their kisses messy and full of primitive need.

Draco drew back slightly from the kiss, slowing the pace, changing it from a furious frenzy of lust to a slower more sensual kiss, lips brushing softly together, tongues gliding slowly.

Hermione pushed herself up from underneath him onto her knees, keeping their lips connected she pushed Draco onto his back so that she was straddling him. She broke the kiss with a gasp and gazed down at him both of them breathing hard.

Draco reached up and pushed her hair behind her ear, brushing her face with his hand.

"I love you, Hermione" He told her softly, his voice unsteady. He opened his mouth and drew in a breath to say more but he was cut off as Hermione kissed him again, and again, again, finishing with a long lingering kiss before pulling away, eyes glossy with happy tears.

"I think," She started slowly, "That there is a strong possibility that I'm in love with you too." She took a shaky breath. "Maybe it's the hormones" she grinned down at him, "but I've never felt this way about anyone else before."

Too overjoyed by what he was hearing her say, Draco hadn't realised that Hermione had unbuttoned his shirt until her hands slid against his bare chest, pushing the thin material off his shoulders. Draco sat up and shrugged off the shirt and dropped it carelessly off the side the bed before his hands went to the hem of Hermione's t-shirt and tugging up over her head as she raised her arms. Draco looked at in awe and pulled her face down so that he could kiss her again, the fierce passion they had started with was slowly building back up and gradually, in between their kisses; every piece of clothing was removed and thrown off the bed to join their shirts on the floor.

Hermione broke the kiss again; gasping for breath, as her breathing slowed she looked him directly in the eyes as she trailed a hand down his chest and reached between them to grasp his erection firmly in her hand. Draco's eyes fluttered closed and his head tilted back as his hips thrust upwards unconsciously, his hands grasping Hermione's waist. His lips parted and he let out a low groan as Hermione pumped her hand slowly up and down his shaft several times.

Draco's hips jerked upwards again as Hermione removed her hand and situated herself over him letting him feel how wet she was for him. Draco's eyes were open now and his breathing was ragged as he guided her firmly onto him. They both moaned in pleasure as Draco filled her completely.

Hermione started moving, the pace was slow at first but as they both came closer to climax the pace sped. Hermione could feel the orgasm fill her, the heat in her centre almost too much to bear, she dropped forward onto her arms, her hair creating a curtain around their faces, the new position was all it took to push her over the edge and her rhythm grew irregular as her walls clenched around his cock their breath mingling in the small gap between their faces.

As her spasms subsided Draco flipped them over on the bed and was careful – even in the midst of such passion – to not put his weight on her stomach. Draco continued to pump into her as her legs wrapped around him and it wasn't long before a second orgasm washed over her, this time Draco couldn't hold on any longer as she tightened amazingly around him and he came, groaning into Hermione's hair as he emptied himself inside her, never having experienced such intense pleasure in his life.

He rolled off of Hermione, unable to hold himself up any longer and not wanting to collapse on top of her; both of them were slick with sweat and panting hard as they recovered and their breathing began to slow.

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**A/N: **So what did you think?? Let me know!!

And as usual, if you see mistakes, or have suggestions, make sure to let me know!! I'm always interested in hearing constructive criticism of my work.


	15. Baby Names

**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own anything to do with Harry Potter, I do not make any profits from writing this._

**A/N:** _Not the longest or most exciting chapter_ but its not the shortest either!

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**Chapter Fifteen**

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_...He rolled off of Hermione, unable to hold himself up any longer and not wanting to collapse on top of her; both of them were slick with sweat and panting hard as they recovered and their breathing began to slow..._

_.  
_

The next morning Hermione awoke to what she was certain was Draco singing a lullaby under his breath as he rubbed her growing stomach. Of course as soon as he noticed that she was awake he immediately stopped and started telling their daughter what a good quidditch player she was going be. But Hermione knew what she had heard, even if she was half asleep, and it made her smile as she pulled him for a good morning kiss.

Hermione pushed Draco off her and sat up intending to get out of bed, but was pulled back down into a long, lazy kiss from Draco, who had become aroused at the sight of her bare body.

Hermione laughed as she pulled away from him and untangled herself from the bed sheets trying to avoid Draco's roaming hands. She leaned down smiling and gave him a chaste kiss before explaining that she was going to have a shower before breakfast.

Draco grinned mischievously at her and said innocently, "Well, I better join you, just to make sure you don't slip and hurt yourself." He threw the covers off himself and swung his legs over the side of the bed pulling Hermione towards him and kissing her again.

Hermione kissed him back before pulling away slightly, "Oh yes, I'm sure that that is the only reason you would think to accompany me into the shower." She grinned against his lips as she kissed him again before pulling him up and leading him to the bathroom.

When they finally emerged from Hermione's room an hour later, Narcissa was standing by the fire. She had a cup of coffee in her hand and she was looking down her nose at the emerald flames where a man's head was floating.

"I know that would be easier" She said to the man sounding exasperated, "but for the amount I'm paying you for your services, I don't care if it is easy or not, and I want to strip the man of everything he has ever owned!" She growled.

The man looked rather flustered as he stammered "and this is _the _Lucius Malfoy you are talking about?" he stammered, sounding like he was hoping with all his heart that that wasn't the case, that he had somehow misunderstood.

"No, I want to divorce my _other_ husband" She said sarcastically "Yes of course Lucius Malfoy! Now go away and start doing what you are being paid for, like finding out what my best case scenario is, and then working out how you can make sure that I get even more from the miserable murdering bastard than that!" Narcissa waved her wand at the fire and cut off the floo connection before the man could reply, muttering under her breath about the incompetency of some people.

Narcissa turned and smiled knowingly at the two of them with her eyebrows raised, "Good morning, lovebirds, Sleep well?" Hermione blushed but Draco just grinned guiltily, like a little boy who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Narcissa laughed before kissing her son on the cheek.

Hermione cleared her throat, "Uh, did you find everything you need for breakfast?" She asked as they moved into the kitchen.

"Yes, thank you, dear." Narcissa smiled at Hermione as she put her coffee cup down and flicked her wand at it to clean it and send it back to the cupboard it came from. The older woman's smile disappeared as she said, "I was just talking to my lawyer, and apparently the earliest spot the divorce court has free is in ten months time, and that was the estimated wait they told me _after_ I used the Malfoy name and charm to get a better deal. You wouldn't believe but before that they were saying it could take up to three years, or even longer, to get the divorce completely finalized." She sighed, "Anyway, I have things to do today, so I'll see you two for dinner tonight I suppose."

After Narcissa had apparated away, Hermione looked at Draco, only to see his face set in a look of utter horror. She groaned, "Oh Gods, I can't believe she heard us!" Hermione buried her face in her hands, before peeking out her fingers and asking, "Were we really that loud?"

Draco waved his hand nonchalantly dismissing her concerns, the look of horror still firmly in place, "Three years?" he whispered in disbelief, "We could have to live with her for three years? The first time I ever move out of home, and I get _one night_ in my new house before she moves in! And now she might be here for up to three years?"

Hermione's eyes widened, "Won't she be looking for another place to stay?"

Draco shook his head doubtfully, "She hates being on her own. And she won't stay with a friend."

Hermione was confused at that, "Why not?" She asked

"One," Draco started, "she wouldn't want to be a hassle for them. Even though they have a lot more space in their homes than we do here, _and_ she will be bothering us more than she would bother them; their homes are so big they probably wouldn't even notice she was there. Also we are family; apparently it doesn't matter if she bothers us. Ok then, reason number two, Father would be able to find and contact her very easily at any of her friends' places, and some of them may even side with him, knowing the company my parents keep. And finally, reason three; she'll probably want to be around here a lot when the baby is born anyway, if she wasn't already living with us, she would ask us, no, _tell_ us, to move in with her then. So really she would see no reason to find a place and move out now." He groaned

Hermione looked shocked for a second before a smile crept onto her lips, "Maybe, we need to find her a wizard to move in with?" She raised one eyebrow suggestively.

Draco thought about it for a second then sighed again, "Wouldn't work, she could risk getting less off my father at the end of the divorce, being unfaithful is one thing my father never was; that we knew of anyway. So if she were to even look at another man before the divorce is finalized my father could tip the scales in his favour." Draco sighed, "Good idea though, if she doesn't move out even after she has half of the Malfoy estates in her name, then we will definitely have to try that one."

.

_***One Week Later***_

_.  
_

"No! There is no way I'm going to name my daughter Eltanin, Rastaban, Grumium, Altais, Edasich, Thuban, Giausar, or any combination of the names! I'm sorry Draco, I might have _considered_ a few of them if we were having a boy, but we aren't, so you are going to have to give up this idea you have about naming her after one of the stars in Draco. I'm sorry, but none of those names will work, and that is final." Hermione huffed getting frustrated at Draco's stubbornness.

Draco pouted, "Fine. If you can come up with a name all by yourself, by all means go ahead; let's see what you can come up with."

"Well I thought that Gemelle, Morgana, Adelina and Talitha were nice names." Hermione protested, "They may be slightly unusual, but that's why I suggested them; your family is full of people with weird, err.., _unique_, names."

Draco looked disgusted at her choices, "Morgana? What, so she can be nicknamed 'Morgue'? How very cheerful, Hermione."

Hermione sighed, "Fine, not Morgana then" she agreed.

"Ok, how about we each keep a piece of paper with us so we can write down any names we think of, then we can swap lists sometime in the next few weeks, cross off the ones we don't like and then see what is left, ok?" Hermione suggested, "And you can't just cross off all the names on my list simply because I came up with them and you want to try and prove a point." She added quickly.

Draco nodded slowly, "Alright; that sounds like a good idea." He agreed grudgingly.

"In fact," continued Hermione, "why don't we get Harry and the Weasley's, your mum and even my parents to all write lists as well, and then we can go through their lists together."

Draco looked aghast, "There is no way I am letting Potty or Weasel name my child!"

Hermione huffed again, "They wouldn't actually be naming her, just helping us brainstorm, and giving us ideas." Then she muttered under her breath "It's not like they could come up with anything worse than _Grumium._"

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**A/N:**_ Ok, so let me know what you thought! _

_xoxo  
_


	16. Silence

**A/N:** Sorry about the long wait, I know it has been far too long since I updated, but real life has been very busy lately! Easter Holidays at the moment so I was able to get this chapter finished!

Happy Easter everyone!!

**Chapter Sixteen**

_... Draco looked aghast, "There is no way I am letting Potty or Weasel name my child!"_

_Hermione huffed again, "They wouldn't actually be naming her, just helping us brainstorm, and giving us ideas." Then she muttered under her breath "It's not like they could come up with anything worse than Grumium."..._

_.  
_

_***Three Days Later***_

_.  
_

By now Hermione was far enough along in the pregnancy that she wouldn't have been able to hide her growing stomach even if she wanted to. She and Draco had been to see a medi-witch once since losing one of the twins, just to be certain that no damage had been done to their remaining child. This time when they went in to the hospital, the medi-witch pointed her wand at Hermione's stomach and conjured a holographic image of their child. Their daughter was fully formed now, and the next 5 months of pregnancy would be for growth.

The medi-witch made a hard copy of the image for Hermione and Draco to take with them.

When they arrived back at their home, Hermione made copies of the image and sent them, along with a note asking for help thinking up baby names, to Harry and the Weasley's, her parents and even to Blaise and Pansy. Draco had been over to their houses a few times and Hermione thought that it was only fair to include his friends as well as hers even though she still wasn't sure where Draco's friends stood on issue of her blood status. She decided that she would ask Draco to re-introduce her to them; he had finally made a truce with _her_ friends after all. Maybe they would host a dinner party and invite all of their friends along?

Later that evening, after Narcissa had gone to bed; Hermione was relaxing on the couch when Draco came over and started massaging her back.

"mmm" She moaned at the feeling of having her tight muscles kneaded.

"What are you thinking about, my Granger?" Draco asked as his fingers worked their magic at the base of her spine. She told him about her idea to meet his friends and he stiffened, his hands ceasing their movements.

Hermione turned towards him, "What? What's wrong with having your friends over for dinner?"

Draco looked uncomfortable and wouldn't meet Hermione's eyes; she continued to look at him questioningly "Well?" she prompted.

Draco shifted away from her slightly, his eyes darting about the room as he cleared his throat, "They, er, they don't know about how I feel for you." He rushed out and Hermione raised an eyebrow at him, her friends didn't know the extent of her feelings for him either.

She told him as much and asked him to elaborate, there was clearly more going on here than that.

Draco sighed "When they found out about the pregnancy, they assumed that I still hated you, especially after I refused to marry you" Hermione's narrowed at this statement before Draco explained "well, they _assumed_ that it was me who refused the marriage and not in fact you." Hermione nodded once, he took this as a signal to keep going and said quietly "I haven't corrected them." He took a deep breath "They still think that I hate you, and they may not mind about your blood status, but none of them ever particularly liked you or your friends at school."

Hermione cut him off then, "So why do they think you are living with me? In Muggle London?" Hermione's voice was icy. She opened her mouth to say more but this time it was Draco who cut in, answering her questions before she could come up with answers on her own, "To get away from my father, they know how angry he is and that mother is divorcing him, I suppose they think that I moved in with you just to spite him."

There was a pause in the argument before Hermione asked quietly, "Who are you lying to, Draco? Your best friends? Or me, the girl you knocked up on graduation night?" Hermione stood from the couch, anger was shining from her eyes but her heart was heavy with hurt, "Maybe you should have let your father get rid of both of the babies!" Hermione stormed from the room slamming the bedroom door behind her and sitting on the edge of the bed. She could hear Draco walking down the hall and she quickly charmed the door locked so he couldn't get in.

She couldn't believe that she had been defending him to her friends, and now it seems that Ron was right all along; he was still a Slytherin at heart, and he was ashamed of his feelings for her; that's if he felt that way at all. She sighed, no, she knew in her heart that he hadn't lied to her about that; what reason did he have?

"Hermione!" He called knocking on the door lightly," Granger, let me in! Please let me try to explain." He pleaded with her through the door, "I know I..." Hermione cut him off with a silencing charm and crawled into bed after pulling her clothes off, not caring that Draco would be forced to sleep on the couch, she couldn't face him just yet.

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_***Three Days Later***_

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The morning after their argument Hermione had found Draco asleep outside the door in the hallway, she had simply stepped over him and apparated to the Weasley's house to talk to Ginny about the issue over breakfast in Diagon Alley.

When he had awoken and found her gone, Draco immediately assumed that she would have gone to the Burrow and had headed there after her.

.

_***Flash Back***_

_.  
_

"Hey, Malfoy" Harry greeted him cautiously, "you looking for 'Mione?"

"Yeah" Draco replied, "Have you seen her?" He looked around the room, his eyes landing on Ron who was scowling at him over his breakfast, Draco sneered at him, before turning back to Harry.

"She came by earlier, wanted to talk to Ginny." Harry answered then continued, crossing his arms over his chest he glared at Malfoy, "She seemed upset. Anything going on that we should know about Malfoy?" He raised an eyebrow at the blonde wizard.

Draco sighed looking defeated, Harry relaxed his pose when he saw the look on Draco's face but didn't back down, "What have done to upset her, Malfoy?"

Deciding that in order to get Hermione to talk to him again he would need the help of someone who knew her better than he did, Draco told Harry about their argument.

"I haven't lied to her about my feelings" Finished Draco, "I just don't know how to tell my friends, it was easier to just let them believe what they wanted. I planned on telling them eventually." Harry was shocked at the revelation that Hermione and Malfoy felt that strongly about one another, but quickly regained his composure.

"Look" Harry Started, "Hermione will just want some time to herself to think things over."

The two of them chatted for a while about what Draco should do, and women in general.

Harry laughed "Oh, and Hermione's silent treatment has been known to last a very long time, so you better get used to sleeping on the couch for a while" Draco scowled before apparating away.

.

_*** End Flash Back***_

_.  
_

Hermione had ignored Draco when she had returned from meeting Ginny, and she was still ignoring him now. He was realising that Harry had probably been right, and he would indeed need to get used to the bloody uncomfortable couch. He had tried to talk to her, and had even explained everything without getting a single response from Hermione, as she sat on the couch – his current sleeping place – and read a book on raising magical children, written by a muggleborn witch.

He had even visited both Blaise and Pansy and told them how he felt about Hermione, they had of course brushed it off as a result of his horny teenage hormones and wouldn't accept that he was being serious no matter how many times he explained to them that he really did love her.

But Hermione still wouldn't talk to him even after he had told his friends, he was at a loss, he had no idea what to do now, so he was giving her the quiet she obviously wanted.

The next day he had awoken to hear his mother shouting into the fireplace, the divorce wasn't going as smoothly as she had hoped.

Narcissa looked like she was ready to start throwing unforgivable's at the man who's head was bobbing in the fire.

"Just forget it" Snapped Narcissa; "I'll find another firm who will get me what I want" She seethed as the man disappeared from the flames.

Hermione appeared from the hallway, her hair eyes bleary with sleep, "Everything ok, Cissa?" She asked before yawning into her hand. Draco glared at his mother, jealous of the fact that she was still on speaking terms with Hermione.

"Back to stage one" Replied Narcissa, "I need to find a lawyer with enough back bone to stand up against Lucius, and it isn't looking like it's going to be an easy task." Narcissa stated wearily.

Later that day, Narcissa was out and Hermione was in the middle of making lunch for herself and Draco – for some reason, although Hermione wasn't speaking to him she was still feeding him – when she dropped the butter knife she was using and grabbed her stomach a look of shock on her face.

Seeing this, Draco jumped up, "What's wrong?" He asked, his voice sounding panicked, as he rushed towards her. Hermione whirled around and grabbed Draco's hands pushing them against her lower belly, her look of shock transforming into a grin. Draco calmed down as he saw the smile on her face and he looked down at his hands resting on her stomach, then he felt it, a tiny kick against his palm, his eyes widened and his head jerked back up to meet her gaze.

"Was that..?" Draco asked, awed. Hermione bit her lip and nodded at him her eyes sparkling, she had felt the baby moving a few times, but this was the first time that she had felt her kick.

Before thinking about what he was doing he lent forwards and captured Hermione's lips with his, her hands still holding his against her protruding tummy. She kissed him back, one of her hands moving up to pull his face tighter against hers as the baby kicked Draco's hand again.

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**A/N: **Let me know what you think!! and of course feel free to point out any grammar/spelling/typing errors you spot.

Casey

xoxox


	17. Picnic in the Park

**A/N:** Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed so far! I now have _over 500 reviews_!! I can't even say how much that means to me, thank you!! I'm sorry it has been so long since my last update, hopefully it won't take me so long to get the next one up.....

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**Chapter Seventeen**

_...Before thinking about what he was doing he lent forwards and captured Hermione's lips with his, her hands still holding his against her protruding tummy. She kissed him back, one of her hands moving up to pull his face tighter against hers as the baby kicked Draco's hand again...._

Draco pulled back from the kiss for a moment, "Does this mean you are speaking to me again?" He asked, breathless.

Hermione smiled and pulled him back so their lips were lightly touching, "I don't know I would go that far" She breathed against his parted lips, "but I am very hormonal at the moment so you can certainly move back into the bedroom." She chuckled before pressing her mouth firmly over his, Draco kissed her back for a second before pulling away again.

"As much as I love the sound of that" Draco smirked before his face turned serious again, "I would prefer that you forgive me first, I've told Pansy and Blaise now, and we can have that dinner party you wanted. Please, don't stay mad at me." He pleaded with her.

In truth, Hermione had already completely forgiven him. How could she hold a grudge against him for not telling his friends about his feelings, when she hadn't even planned to tell him that he was going to be a father. She was just glad that he didn't seem to remember this fact at the moment; she certainly wasn't going to remind him.

She smiled at him, "Of course I forgive you! Do you really think I would be kissing you right now, let alone sleep with you, if I hadn't?"

Draco "Then why did you just say..."

Hermione cut him off, "I was joking, you twat." She laughed, winding her fingers through his hair and bringing his face back towards her, "Now where were we?" she breathed against his lips.

Draco pulled her against him and hoisted her up to sit on the clear stretch of bench behind her, she wrapped her legs around his waist as their kiss became passionate, she moaned as Draco pulled her bottom lip between his teeth before he covered her lips with his again smothering the sound. Draco was about to pick her up and carry her away to the bedroom when he heard someone clearing their throat behind them. Hermione blushed as they pulled away from each other and Draco turned towards his mother with a scowl on his face, he was about to tell her to go away and mind her own business when he noticed that there was a man standing slightly behind her looking rather uncomfortable. Hermione hid her red face against Draco's chest.

"Well" Started Narcissa, "I see you two are on good terms again." She smirked at the two of them before indicating the man with her, "This is my new Lawyer, Sebastian Holloway. I have agreed to let him take my case. Mr Holloway, this is my son, Draco, and his" - She paused for a moment, unsure what Hermione actually was to him - "girlfriend, Hermione."

After Hermione and Draco had straightened up their clothes and introductions had been made, Mr Holloway and Narcissa sat down and started discussing the divorce.

Hermione and Draco decided to go for a walk and have a picnic lunch in a nearby park, or rather, Hermione decided, and dragged a grumbling Draco - who stated that "Malfoys don't _picnic._" to which Hermione had raised her eyebrows and replied "Yes, and apparently Malfoys don't fuck muggleborns either" - out the door.

It was a nice day, and Draco and Hermione stopped by a small deli to pick up some food before wandering to the park and sitting down on the soft grass, the sun shining brightly over head.

Hermione put a few slices of avocado and then some brie cheese onto a slice of crusty white bread as they sat eating in silence, listening to the sounds of children playing nearby.

"I don't want to be a dad" whispered Draco after a few moments, not looking at Hermione. "Not yet anyway."

"I know, Draco" Hermione said turning to look at him, "I don't want the responsibility of a child just yet either."

"It's our first year out of school, I want to go travelling, have fun, drink excessive amounts" he chuckled, turning to Hermione, a grin on his face, "sleep with lots of women."

Hermione shoved him playfully "I think you did enough of that while you were _at_ school"

Draco looked mock offended then said truthfully, "Probably not as much as you assume I did"

Hermione raised her eyebrows, "I'm serious!" said Draco "How many girls do you think I have slept with, Granger?"

Hermione laughed and shook her head, "It doesn't matter Draco."

"Ok, well I'll just tell you then" He cleared his throat "three" he said, and then quickly added "including you."

Hermione was surprised, she had thought there would have been at least a few more than that, the amount of gossip that went around the school about him.

Draco noticed her surprise and smirked at her, "Surprised, Granger?"

Hermione blushed, "A little" she admitted.

"What about you? How many lucky guys have you taken to bed?" Hermione noticed his expression darken at the idea of other men in her bed despite the light, teasing tone in his voice.

Hermione blushed again, "The same" she told him truthfully.

Draco looked surprised, "who?" he demanded.

Hermione frowned at him; "I didn't ask you who it was that you had slept with" she sniffed.

"Pansy and Daphne" He said calmly then continued looking at her questioningly.

"You slept with Pansy?" she asked, surprised since she was still a good friend of his.

"Yes." Draco answered simply "Now tell me who you slept with other than the Weasel."

"Viktor Krum. Why does it matter?" Hermione asked after answering him, although she didn't mind him knowing, she just wanted to know why it was so important to him.

"I don't know, I just" he paused "I just needed to know." He looked away from her and changed the subject back to what they would have been doing now if it wasn't for the pregnancy. "So, what would you have been doing this year if we hadn't been so irresponsible?"

"I was going to do work experience in a few of the research departments at the ministry, then see where things went from there. If I didn't enjoy work at the ministry I was going to train to be a healer."

Hermione and Draco chatted about what they had planned for their lives until it was late afternoon and they decided to head back home, feeling like they had learnt more about one another than they had in the entire time they had been living with each other so far.

They walked home hand in hand, and when they reached their flat, there was an unusual bouquet of flowers - consisting of white and purple pansies, heliotrope and traveller's joy surrounding a single red rose - sitting outside on the doorstep. Hermione picked the flowers up and read the small note attached:

_Narcissa, _

_Absence makes the heart grow fonder,_

_Read past the petals, my love._

"They're for Narcissa" Hermione answered Draco's silent question, she swallowed; "and I think they're from your father."

* * *

**A/N: **For those of you who read my other fic, Draco's Prisoner, I have a new chapter completed, it is currently with my beta and should be up soon!! Thank you for being patient!! ... and for those of you who havnt read Draco's Prisoner you should go check it out!! :o)

Let me know what you think so I can continue to improve my writing!!

Casey

xoxox


	18. The Language of Flowers

**Disclaimer:** Unfortunately I did not think up the Potter Universe, all credit goes to the wonderful JK Rowling!!

**Chapter Eighteen**

_..."They're for Narcissa" Hermione answered Draco's silent question, she swallowed; "and I think they're from your father."... _

Draco opened his mouth to speak, but fell silent when the door to the flat opened, Narcissa stood there for a moment looking at the flowers sadly before reciting. "_You are never absent from my mind, I treasure thoughts of happy times, though youth has gone my love is strong, you are the light of my life_. _I love you._" A tear trailed down her smooth alabaster cheek, "It's how Lucius and I used to communicate when we were courting. Each flower has particular meaning and is chosen for that rather than the aesthetic beauty." She wiped at her eyes with an embroidered handkerchief "He changed so much after we were married..."

Narcissa visibly shook herself out of the memories before hardening her features and saying coldly, "Why he thinks that silly little gestures will change anything after what he has done..." She shook her head before gesturing for the two of them to come into the house and closing the door slightly harder than actually necessary.

Hermione put the flowers down on the bench, not quite knowing what to do with them. Draco cleared his throat and after a minute and broke the silence "How was your meeting with your new lawyer, Mother? Will he be good enough, do you think?"

"I think that he will do fine" replied Narcissa, who was looking a little off colour, as she made tea. "He is rather new to the field, but he has excellent qualifications" She set their tea down in front of them as she spoke, "and seems to actually be looking forward to taking on Lucius."

Narcissa started to bring her cup of tea to her lips but set it down suddenly; the tea sloshed over the edge of the cup, and stood up, "Will one of you please get rid of that bloody bouquet?" She said shakily before hurrying down the hall to shut herself in her room.

Hermione and Draco sat there in shocked silence for a moment, "Should one of us go and check to see if she is ok?" Hermione asked as Draco picked up the flowers and dropped them in the rubbish.

"No, I think she just needs some space." He replied.

There was another pause before Hermione dropped her head into her hands, "I'm so sorry about all of this, Draco" she said softly.

Draco stared at her quizzically, "What the bloody hell are you sorry for?"

Hermione sighed, "If I had just agreed to marry you in the first place, none of this would be happening."

"Hermione, we both know that marriage was most definitely not – and still isn't - the right option for us. Do you think we would have worked things out between us the way we have? No, we would still hate each other just on principle, because of the injustice of being forced into the situation."

She sighed again, "I know, you're right. But still can't help but feel that all this is entirely my fault."

"It is no-one's fault but my Father's" Draco said, "and if anyone else is to be blamed, it's us; both of us, for not using contraception."

Hermione opened her mouth to reply but Draco cut her off, "I'm serious, Granger. Stop blaming yourself."

Hermione laughed, "I was actually going to say that it is Ron's fault for making me want to get back at him by sleeping with you."

Draco grinned at Hermione, "Yep, it's definitely all the Weasel's fault."

_***The Next Day***_

Narcissa was out of the house, as she seemed to be a lot - she was a very social woman, and had been spending a lot of time out with her friends. This weekend, she was spending it away at the Parkinson's holiday home in Italy.

"We should start thinking about that dinner party soon" Hermione told Draco, "We will need to make sure that all our friends will be available. I think they have all had time to at least think up a few baby names." She continued.

Draco grimaced at the thought of the dinner party; he wasn't looking forward to it at all. He also still didn't like the idea of either Harry or Ron coming up with his daughter's name.

"Ok, when should we have it?" Draco sighed.

"Well, do you know when Blaise and Pansy will be free? Is there anyone else you want to invite?" Hermione asked him.

"No, no one else." Draco's two best friends from Hogwarts, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle had died in the battle against Voldemort, and other than Pansy and Blaise, Draco wasn't particularly close to anyone else. "You decide on a date, and I will owl them to check if they will be available."

"Alright, how about we have it on Wednesday?" Hermione asked, "I have a check up on Tuesday afternoon, so we will have a new picture of the baby to show them."

Draco mumbled something in return and went to make himself a cup of tea.

Hermione followed him into the kitchen, "I'm going over the Burrow for lunch today to see Harry and Ron, do you want to come?" Draco just raised his eyebrows at her as if she was mad for even asking. Hermione huffed, "I thought you and Harry were starting to get on?"

"'Not killing each other'is not the same thing as 'wanting to spend time together', Granger."

"Fine, I will see you later then." She said before turning to walk out of the room.

Draco set his tea down and quickly grabbed her arm before she got to the door, "Wha..." Hermione started but Draco quickly cut off by crushing his lips over hers. Just as she started to respond to the kiss Draco pulled away.

"Don't be home too late, we have the place to ourselves this weekend, and I intend to make very good use of the privacy." Draco Smirked as he saw Hermione flush at his words, her eyes dark.

She nodded slightly before Draco let her go and she managed to leave the room without stumbling.

When she arrived at the Burrow Harry and Ron were happy to see her, and Molly fussed over for about 15 minutes before the trio managed to escape up to Ron's room. Ginny had returned to Hogwarts slightly over a month ago, and Hermione still felt a bit bad for not going to see her off at the station.

"Guess what, 'Mione?" Ron asked her excitedly. She and Ron had finally settled back into their old friendship.

"What?" Hermione laughed.

Harry had a happy sheepish look on his face as Ron continued, "Harry here got accepted into Auror Training."

"Oh wow" Hermione said as she pulled her friend into a hug, "Congratulations, Harry!"

"Thanks, 'Mione" Harry mumbled with a smile on his face.

Hermione frowned suddenly and turned to Ron, "What about you? Didn't you get in?"

Ron looked surprised, "Didn't I tell you already?" He asked, then continued, "I decided that being an Auror wasn't what I wanted, so I didn't end up applying"

"Oh" Said Hermione, then she asked "What are you going to do instead then?"

"Well, I have a few options." Started Ron, "Bill and Fleur said I could come stay with them in Egypt, and Charlie has said that I am welcome at his place in Romania, so I might take the year off to travel, visit Egypt and Romania and also a few other places as well." Ron looked over at Harry, "I'm trying to convince Harry here to defer his place at the Auror Academy to come travelling with me for a while."

"That sounds great, Ron, and Harry you should definitely go! It would be an amazing experience." Hermione told them.

"It would have been great if you could have come too" Said Harry with regret in his voice.

Hermione smiled sadly, "Maybe in a few years time we can do a trip together."

Just before Hermione left after lunch she remembered the dinner party she wanted to have that week. Luckily they said that they would be able to make it and that when Fred and George returned from the shop – Weasley's Wizard Wheezes had really taken off – they would get the twins to owl her with their RSVP's. She reminded them about coming up with a list of names then hugged them both goodbye.

By the time she got home it was late afternoon and Draco was out, probably visiting his own friends. Hermione decided that it was late enough that she could start cooking dinner already, so she went to the kitchen to see what food they had in the cupboards.

Hermione was just pulling the lasagne she had made out of the oven when Draco came home.

"I see I have arrived right on time" Draco said, when he walked into the kitchen. "I'm starving"

"Can you grab the plates and cutlery?" Hermione asked as she put the hot dish down on the table. Draco scowled at having to do 'house-elf work' but did it nevertheless.

Hermione looked up when she was finished eating and blushed at the way Draco was looking at her over his empty plate. "Time for dessert" He stated before standing up and stalking around the table towards her.

* * *

A/N: Don't be too angry about the cliffie!!

The next chapter shouldn't be too far away!

Please review, they really help my motivation!!

Casey

xxxx


	19. Dessert

**Chapter Nineteen**

_...Hermione looked up when she was finished eating and blushed at the way Draco was looking at her over his empty plate."Time for dessert" He stated before standing up and stalking around the table towards her..._

Hermione swallowed and unconsciously licked her lips, staring into his stormy grey eyes she watched him approach her, her breathing becoming ragged.

When he reached her, Draco pulled her up so she was standing in front of him and her chair fell to the floor behind her. Their lips met in a searing kiss, and Draco pulled her as close to him as he could, her swollen belly hard against him.

They pulled apart and stared at each other for a moment, breathing hard, before Draco picked her up suddenly and Hermione instinctively wrapped her legs around his hips. The position was slightly awkward but Hermione leant forward and reconnected their lips, her fingers threading through his hair as Draco carried her to their bedroom.

He placed her on the bed carefully and his hands moved to undo the buttons on her shirt as his lips continued to move against hers. When her shirt was off she began pushing his t-shirt up his chest, he pulled his lips away from hers for a second as he tugged it over his head. Her hands were roaming over his arms and chest; he shuddered with need as her fingertips flicked over his nipples.

Draco's fingers made quick work of the rest of her clothes and soon she was completely bare. Hermione moaned as Draco sucked one of her extremely sensitive nipples into his mouth, while he fondled the other with his hand. Hermione's hands moved to hold his head against her as she arched into him.

Draco trailed his lips back up to her mouth, his tongue sweeping across her moist lips and pushing past them into the hot cavern of her mouth, his hands massaging her full breasts.

Draco groaned and pulled away moving to kneel on the floor, pulling Hermione so that she was sitting on the edge of bed before him. Draco lowered his mouth to her thighs and placed many small kisses there before his tongue suddenly made a long sweeping stroke between her nether lips, causing Hermione to gasp and jerk her hips forward.

He went back to giving her light teasing kisses along her upper thighs, Hermione groaned with need, annoyed that he was teasing her like this, his light kisses causing her already overheated flesh to tremble.

Draco moved his hands under her knees and brought her legs over his shoulders before returning his attention to where she wanted it, moving his mouth back to her heated sex. Hermione threw her head back in rapture and her breathing grew ragged as he licked and sucked at her throbbing bundle of nerves, his hands caressing up and down her quivering thighs.

One of Draco's hands made its way around and trailed up Hermione's inner thigh, as his tongue worked on her clit, two of his fingers plunged into her sopping wet hole. Her muscles contracted around his digits and he heard her moan as he bent his fingers to touch on just the right spot moving them in and out of her.

It only took a moment before Hermione could feel heat and pleasure building up inside her, one of her hands grasped at the sheets as the other pulled his head against her, she felt his teeth graze over clit and she let go, her muscles convulsing as the white hot pleasure rolled over her and she fell back against the bed as body continued to shake.

"Wow" She breathed as Draco shed the rest of his clothes and helped her move further up the bed so that her legs weren't off the edge. She opened her eyes to see Draco, who was kneeling above her, smirking down at her, looking very pleased with himself.

She laughed at his expression and pulled his face down to hers, tasting herself on his lips. His hands were all over her, stroking along her arms, palming her breasts, his fingers tweaking her nipples or trailing lightly over her stomach. Their kiss was hungry, and despite the huge release Hermione had only just experienced minutes ago, she was desperate for more.

Suddenly Draco pulled his lips away from hers and with no warning she was being lifted and turned around so that she was on her hands and knees with Draco kneeling behind her, plunging into her with a long groan. Hermione gasped at the feel of him, huge and thick within her.

Draco dropped his mouth to her shoulder and panted against her moist skin as he moved against her, revelling in the feel of her heat, groaning as she pushed herself back onto him. He could tell from the noises she was making that she was already close; he slammed into her, his hands pulling on her hips. She gasped and as he thrust himself into her hard and fast, a harsh scream was torn from her throat as her walls clamped down and she exploded around him.

Draco groaned and bit down on her shoulder as he held onto her, his fingers digging harshly into her hips, he fought the need to come with her and managed to slow his movements and allow her to ride out the pleasure.

He forced himself to pause, giving her a moment to recover, before he continued to pump slowly in and out of her slick channel. He gradually sped up, and he knew that he wouldn't last much longer, he slid his arm around her, her hips jerked as his fingers slid between her folds and lightly stroked her clit. His thrusts became faster and more erratic, and he increased the speed of his fingers.

Just as he felt the wave of orgasm overcome him, and he thought that he would come without her, he heard her groan and her inner muscles pulsed and clenched around him, milking him as he spurted his seed inside her.

_***The Next Morning***_

Hermione woke to the sounds of someone in the house, her initial thought was that Draco was up already, until she woke up a bit more and realised that Draco was still asleep hugging her to his warm chest.

Narcissa wasn't supposed to be back until tonight, but she supposed that it was possible that the woman had come back early. Hermione carefully slid out of the bed, shivering as her naked body met the cool air of the room. Pulling on a dressing gown and holding her wand tightly, she made her way to the kitchen, where the noise was coming from.

She was relieved to see that it was indeed Draco's mother, but she was curious as to why she would return early.

"Narcissa? What are you doing back so early?" She asked as she made her way further into the room. The woman jumped slightly, having been startled by Hermione's entrance, but she didn't let the shock show on her face.

"Hermione, dear, I didn't hear you come in." Narcissa replied.

As Hermione looked at her more closely, she realised that there were tear tracks on Narcissa's cheeks.

"Are you ok, Narcissa?" She asked, concerned for the woman.

"Yes, of course, Hermione" Narcissa assured her, brushing at her cheeks to wipe the tears away. "It's just hard, even knowing the terrible things that Lucius has done, not to remember all the truly wonderful times I had with him." She gestured to a fresh bouquet of flowers, "I decided to reply to the message he sent the other day." She explained, "His use of flowers brings back so many happy memories" A fresh tear rolled down her cheek, though her voice remained calm, "I suspect that that was his intention in sending flowers in the first place."

Hermione wasn't sure what to do; she placed a reassuring hand on Narcissa's shoulder and squeezed gently before letting go. "I'm sorry, Narcissa" She said simply, not knowing what else to say.

Hermione looked more closely at the large bouquet that Narcissa was planning on sending to Lucius, it was made up of three different varieties of flowers. One large white gladiolus was the centrepiece, Hermione wasn't familiar with the language of flowers but she thought about what it could symbolise.

The word 'gladiolus' was derived from the latin word _gladius_ which meant 'sword' and the flower was also sometimes called the 'sword lily', she thought that perhaps in this circumstance the flower could be a symbol for some kind of pain.

Also in the arrangement were white daffodils, and in contrast with the two white flower varieties were a few sprigs of deep purple deadly nightshade. Daffodils were in the genus _Narcissus_, Hermione remembered, which she guessed meant something to do with selfishness or self love, and the deadly nightshade must have something to do with deception she theorised.

Narcissa noticed her looking at the bouquet so thoughtfully and confirmed her thoughts on the meanings. The message the bouquet symbolised was, '_You love none, save yourself. Your actions have wounded me; I can no longer trust you._'

She didn't attach a note to the flowers; Lucius would know immediately who they were from, so there was no need.

Once they were sent, Hermione told Narcissa about the dinner party and asked if she would like to join them; Narcissa politely declined the offer, stating that she would be busy that evening.

Narcissa left for a breakfast meeting and Hermione made a pot of tea and arranged it on a tray with two cups, which she carried carefully into her bedroom.

Draco awoke when he heard cups rattling and opened his eyes a crack to see Hermione coming in with tea. She carefully placed the tray on their bedside table and shed her dressing gown to climb back into bed; Draco stared at her naked form for a moment as she pulled the covers back and before she could hop in he had grabbed her arm and pulled her to him.

Hermione squealed; she hadn't realised that Draco was awake yet. Before she could say anything his lips were on her neck, and all thought flew from her mind. Her back was pressed against his chest, and she could feel his arousal pressed against her back.

"Good morning" Mumbled Draco, his mouth brushing right below her ear; his voice rough from sleep and the vibrations against her skin caused Hermione to shiver against him.

The tea was quickly forgotten in a haze of early morning lust, which left them both sticky and breathless.

After they had showered, together, and then eventually gotten dressed; Hermione made fresh tea, they ate breakfast at the dining table and Hermione told Draco about her conversation with Narcissa that morning.

Later that day, Draco was visiting Blaise again, and Hermione was thinking about what to cook for the dinner party later in the week. She realised that she and Draco would have to have their own list of possible names for their daughter. She groaned out loud as she remembered Draco's previous ideas.

Hermione had suggested that they write lists as they thought of names, but she had completely forgotten about it, and suspected that Draco probably had as well. She found the two pieces of parchment that she had recorded the ones they had thought up the day they had been discussing names, and decided to scrap both lists, none of them were at all right.

She brought the topic up with Draco when he got home and after several hours of arguments they managed to come up with a list of names that they both thought were reasonable.

_***Three days later***_

It was the day of the dinner party; Hermione had had a routine check up the day before and had been reassured that the pregnancy was moving along smoothly. She had a new picture of their tiny, fully formed daughter to show everyone when they arrived.

Hermione and Draco were expecting, Ron, Harry, Fred, George, Pansy and Blaise, as well as Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom. It was just as well that Hermione's parents couldn't make it tonight – they weren't returning from their holiday until next week - as they already needed to magically enlarge their dining table to fit everyone in.

Narcissa had offered to get the Malfoy house elves to do the cooking, and as Hermione was rather daunted at the prospect of cook for ten people, she grudgingly accepted the assistance of one house elf to help her prepare the meal.

Finally it was almost time for the guests to arrive, and Hermione couldn't remember why she wanted to have the dinner party in the first place, it was bound to be a disaster she thought to herself nervously as the fire turned emerald and the first of the guests stepped into their home.

* * *

yay, another chapter!! .. Hope you enjoyed it!!

The Meanings for the flowers come from 'The Magic of Herbs' by David Conway.

Thank you for all the lovely reviews for the last chapter! and thank you to my beta WickedDiSaster!!

Unfortunately I have lost the notebook that I wrote down the timeline, plot outline and all the lists of names in!! ... So I will have to either find the book, or re-find all the names/substitute names for the next chapter! which is very annoying as I had such great lists!! :o( hopefully I will find the book, but I'm just letting you know because the next chapter might take a bit longer to upload because of it!!

I love getting reviews, so don't be shy!! :o)

Wish me luck for my exam today! *is nervous*  
Casey  
xoxox


	20. Dinnertime

**A/N:** I'm so sorry for such a long wait!! ... I've had this chapter done for a while, but I wasn't happy with it, I've fixed it up a bit and am reasonably happy with the result, still not as good as I was hoping this scene to be, but I didn't want to keep you waiting any longer!!

**Chapter Twenty**

_...Finally it was almost time for the guests to arrive, and Hermione couldn't remember why she wanted to have the dinner party in the first place, it was bound to be a disaster she thought to herself nervously as the fire turned emerald and the first of the guests stepped into their home..._

Draco grinned at his friend as he brushed soot off his clothes before they clapped each other on the back. "How are you, mate?" asked Blaise in greeting.

Hermione stood awkwardly next to the couch with a smile plastered on her face as she waited for Draco to officially introduce her to his friend.

"Pansy might be a bit late" Blaise was saying to Draco, "She's having a few family problems at the moment"

Draco nodded in understanding, apparently having already heard from Pansy, before he turned to Hermione. "Blaise, I'm sure you remember Hermione." He said; his voice sounding strained.

Hermione smiled and wiped the palms of her hands on her dress before holding one out for Blaise to shake. Hermione was relieved when after a short pause Blaise extended his own hand to her and offered her a hesitant smile.

They were saved from making any awkward conversations when the floo activated again and Harry, Ron, Fred and George all piled out of the fireplace one after the other. Hermione immediately greeted them all with warm hugs and the room was filled with loud chatter as the friends greeted each other.

Harry greeted Draco warmly with clap on the back, and shook Blaise's hand without any sign that they had once been in rival houses. Ron, while he had hugged Hermione warmly, was now standing off to the side glowering slightly, still not comfortable with the idea of being friends, or civil to, Slytherins, or as he liked to call them; Death Eater scum.

Luna turned up about minute after Harry and the Weasley's arrived, Neville a few minutes after her, and Pansy had managed to be there only 15 minutes late. Draco and Blaise each pulled the girl into a hug when stepped from the flames and she politely said hello to all the others. Hermione raised her eyebrows at Draco when she noticed Pansy blush and stutter a greeting to Ron, who seemed oblivious to her discomfort, but he ignored her silent questioning by directing everyone to take a seat in their magically enlarged dining room.

Mipsy, the house-elf who had assisted Hermione in the kitchen that day, carried out a tray of roast lamb surrounded by crisp skinned potatoes, the elf carefully started carving up the meat oblivious to the shocked looks on Hermione's friends faces. Hermione blushed and hastily thanked Mipsy for all her help that day before striking up a conversation with Neville about how the plants in his new greenhouse were going.

Blaise was looking quizzically at Luna as if trying to remember something, and after everyone had helped themselves from the dishes on the table he asked her "Luna, weren't you in the year below us at Hogwarts?"

Luna looked up at him with her trademark dreamy smile playing across her lips, "Yes" she said calmly and for a moment it didn't seem as though she would explain but she swallowed a mouthful of mashed potato before elaborating, "Instead of going back to Hogwarts I've been travelling this year with Rolf, you might know of his grandfather Newt Scamander? Just last month we discovered a new magical species, I believe that this rare new creature may be related to the Crumple-Horned Snorkack, but I'll need to do some more research to be sure." Her face lit up with her passion for her work, "Dad will probably put an article about in the Quibbler about it as soon as it's been properly classified if you want to know more about it." And with that, Luna just smiled again and turned back to her food for a moment before turning joining a conversation between Neville and Ron.

Blaise turned to Draco and mouthed "Crumple-Horned Snorkack?" to which Draco simply replied with a bemused shrug.

The conversation at the table moved on to what everyone else had been doing in the four or so months since school had finished and what their plans were for the future. Hermione was sure she caught Pansy staring admiringly at Ron on more than one occasion during the meal.

When they had almost finished eating their deserts, chocolate self saucing pudding with ice-cream and cream, Fred and George, who had been cracking jokes all evening, they seemed especially fond of making fun of the Slytherins, brought up the topic of baby names.

Hermione had completely forgotten that she had asked them to think of possible names for the little one who was currently kicking inside her womb.

"We've each made a list" said Fred indicating to his brother. George cleared his throat and pulled out a scrap of paper and reading the first name on his list.

"_Georg_ina" he said with a grin and turned Fred, who had pulled out his list and they proceeded to take turns in saying a name from each of their lists.

"_Fred_erica"

"_George_tte"

"_Fred_wina"

"_Georg_iana"

"Wil_fred_a"

"_Georg_etta"

"Wini_fred_" Fred concluded their lists, "Any of them take your fancy" he grinned at a laughing Hermione, and a scowling Malfoy.

"We'll keep them in mind" Hermione replied jokingly shaking her head at the twins as she stood to start clearing the table.

Once the table was cleared with the help of the Gryffindor's - the pureblooded Slytherins wouldn't dream of actually helping someone _clean - _Pansy asked Hermione what names she and Draco had come up with for their daughter.

"We have both been so side tracked lately that we haven't really discussed it much, at least since the first time we tried to agree on a name; and judging from that experience I think it's going to be rather difficult coming up with one we both agree on." Hermione grinned at Draco, thinking of his horrible suggestions. "Did anyone come up with any – serious – suggestions?" She smiled at the Weasley twins.

"Ron and I made a list last night; we thought that you would want a name that had a suitable meaning as well as being a nice name." Harry said as he handed over a small list of names scrawled messily on a piece of parchment, the meanings stated next to each name.

Ron blushed slightly as Hermione smiled at the list, "These are great guys" she commented before looking back up and reading the names out; "Quinn, meaning 'wise', Mika and Sorcha both meaning Intelligent." She smiled at her two friends.

Ron cleared his throat, "We figured that with the top two Hogwarts students as he parents she won't be able to help but be smart." He paused for a moment before continuing tryin to hold back the grin that was trying to break through his serious look, "We thought about names that meant beautiful as well, but we figured it's possible that she will take after the slimy git."

Hermione just laughed, in too good a mood to feel offended that he would think her daughter could ever possibly not be beautiful, despite who she would end up looking most like. She leant over and gave Draco a kiss saying "I think she'll be absolutely stunning if she takes after Draco"

Draco smirked at her, "Well, we can only hope that she doesn't inherit your horrid hair."

Hermione looked mock offended and slapped him on the arm before kissing him again, intending for it to be a quick peck, but Draco had other ideas and held her in place for a moment longer, swiping his tongue along her lips before letting her go. He smirked when he saw that Hermione's cheeks were flushed, her eyes lowered.

When she looked up again Ron was scowling at the pair of them, obviously not too pleased with their little shows of affection.

"Perhaps we should have added a few of the names that meant evil snake on the list" Ron muttered under his breath. Hermione raised an eyebrow questioningly in Ron direction causing him to look up defiantly, speaking to Hermione but glaring at Draco he said "How do you like the name Lilith? or perhaps Belinda? I personally think Desdemonda fits pretty well, that one means 'of the Devil'" he spat out in Draco's direction.

Hermione glared at him, taking Draco's hand "Are you quite done, Ronald?" She said with ice in her voice. She couldn't believe he was still being a prat about this after so long. She had thought that he had accepted her decision to live with Draco to raise their child.

Everyone at the table was quiet, Ron looked at Hermione and Draco's intertwined hands with disgust as he rose from his seat and stormed to the floo.

Harry sighed and pushed his chair back, "I'll go after him" he Hermione quietly but Hermione put her hand on his arm and shook her head to stop him.

"Leave him, he's obviously still feeling hurt. I had thought that he was starting to come to terms with everything; but obviously not." Hermione suddenly wasn't feeling up to entertaining her guests. "I'm really tired; I think I'm just going to go to bed." She turned to Draco, "Draco could you make coffee and tea for our guests? There is a cheese platter in the fridge for supper." And with that she stood from the table and made her way from the room without another word.

It wasn't long after Hermione finished showering and had slipped into bed that Draco came into the room, undressed and slid in to the bed next to her. He pulled her up against his chest, his arm wrapped securely around her waist with his hand splayed over her swollen stomach.

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As always, let me know what you think!

I'm looking for a beta at the moment, so if anyone is interested let me know!

Love Casey!!

xoxox


	21. Strange Encounters

Hey everyone!!.. I'm so sorry (again) for the slow update!!! I just haven't managed to find a lot of time for writing!! Forgive me??

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Chapter Twenty One **

_It wasn't long after Hermione finished showering and had slipped into bed that Draco came into the room, undressed and slid in to the bed next to her. He pulled her up against his chest, his arm wrapped securely around her waist with his hand splayed over her swollen stomach._

The next morning, Hermione endeavoured to forget about Ron, he would come to terms with her relationship with Draco eventually.

She was having breakfast with Draco when the phone rang, it was her parents calling to say that they were on their last stop over on the way home, and would be home in a few days.

They organised for Draco and her to chat up with them over dinner at their house the day after they returned. Hermione knew that Draco had gotten over his prejudice against muggles, but she still had a twinge of unfounded worry that he would suddenly revert back to his old self.

She berated herself for thinking badly of him after he had changed so much; she was just stressed about her parents seeing her, because while they _knew_ she was pregnant, the visual proof might be a little bit more confronting for them.

After Hermione and Draco had finished breakfast Hermione cleared the dishes and went to fill the sink with water. Draco said nothing, after living with her for as long as he had he knew that she liked to do the dishes while she was thinking about things.

Once the dishes were done Hermione turned to Draco, "I have another appointment booked at St. Mungo's today, do you want to come with me?" she asked.

"Of course I do" Draco replied then sighed "But I can't, I promised Pansy I would meet her at Diagon Alley, her parents are having financial difficulties, and are fighting at the moment, which is hard on Pansy."

Hermione was disappointed that he wouldn't be there with her, but she knew that his friends were important to him, and she admired his selflessness when it came to them. "That's fine; I won't book the next appointment until I know when you are free so that you can come with me next time." She answered before pecking him on the lips and heading to their room to get ready to go.

_***St. Mungo's***_

"Well, everything seems perfectly fine _health_ wise" Said the mediwitch cautiously as she examined Hermione, "But I'm afraid that the _Abortio_ curse has caused some slight scarring to the left shoulder of this little one." She pointed to the image floating above Hermione's stomach and gestured to where she could see the damage.

Hermione fought back tears at the memory of the curse, not only did she have to lose her son, her daughter would also be scarred from the attack. "Luckily" the mediwitch continued, "it should fade as she grows older; while she is small it will look much more pronounced than it will once she has grown. By the time she starts Hogwarts it will barely be noticeable."

While Hermione was still upset, she breathed a sigh of relief at knowing that her child wouldn't be permanently scarred. She was also immensely glad that there would be no permanent spell damage any more severe than a scar.

Once the examination was over, Hermione hopped off the examining chair and changed out of the hospital robes and into her own muggle clothing.

Hermione stepped out of the examination room and into the hall and was shocked to find none other than Lucius Malfoy sitting in the waiting area; she immediately clutched her hands around her stomach.

As soon as Lucius saw Hermione come out of the examination room, he jumped to his feet and rushed over. "Miss Granger" He started, and then without waiting for any sort of greeting or reply from Hermione he continued; "Please allow me to express my deepest apologies and regrets." even through her shock Hermione could tell that eldest Malfoy was nervous, and the fact that she could tell made it quite clear that he must be very agitated.

"What I did" he continued, "What I did, can never be taken back and I know that I can never make it up to you or my son, or even to my wife. But Please Miss Granger, believe me when I say that I always learn from my mistakes; and this one is no exception." Hermione was still standing there completely taken aback and unsure of what she should say, or whether she should simply just leave.

Despite the fact that Hermione hadn't given him any sign of the effect his words were having, he still continued to speak, "I have lost everything I hold dear; my _family_ is everything to me, they are all that matters in my life." Were those _tears_ in Lucius Malfoy's eyes? Hermione's own eyes were wide in surprise.

"I am more than willing to put aside my admittedly somewhat archaic values in order to ensure that my family continues to be part of my life. I would give up everything I have for them." He looked pleadingly at Hermione. "I now know that no matter how unplanned, you are now a part of my son's life and if he isn't going to give you up, then I have decided that I need to come to terms with his decision." He paused, "Neither my son nor my wife will even look at me, let alone speak with me. I ask for you to forgive my wrongdoings, and convince Draco to at least give me an hour of his time in order for me to apologise to him again in person. I have written several letters, but I have no way of knowing if he ever read any of them."

Hermione cleared her throat, unsure what to say; she didn't forgive him, and yet, she hated to see anyone in such distress, even Lucius Malfoy. She stayed silent for a moment, gaining her composure, before saying "Mr Malfoy, I thank you for your apology, but I am afraid I am not ready to forgive you for the death of my and Draco's son, and I'm not sure that even with my forgiveness Draco would wish to speak with you. Please, allow me time to consider all you have said and discuss matters with Draco. I'm sorry that your mistakes have cost everyone so much. Goodbye Mr Malfoy"

With that, Hermione stepped past the weary man and strode out of the hospital, feeling shaky and shocked about the confrontation, she had never figured Lucius to be the kind of man to lower himself to beg for anything let alone forgiveness.

_***Diagon Alley***_

Draco stood from his seat and waved as he saw his long time friend Pansy Parkinson enter the cafe. She noticed him almost immediately and wove her way through the crowed room towards his table. Draco gave pansy a kiss on the cheek in greeting and pulled out her chair for her before taking his seat again.

"What's this all about, Pansy? Is everything ok?" he asked her directly without the delay of meaningless chit chat.

"Yes, everything's fine" replied Pansy, "I mean, I think so. I'm not entirely certain what's going on at the moment, or how much of a problem it is, if it's a problem at all."

"Well why don't you start from the beginning so that I know what you're talking about?"

"Well, you know that my parents aren't doing very well financially at the moment?" Draco nodded his head in affirmation. "Well, as you can imagine, my mother isn't all too happy about not being able to purchase every useless item of clothing or jewellery that she fancies, and Father has asked her to sell some of the items that she never wears anyway so we can afford to pay for other more important things. She refused, of course" Pansy rolled her eyes before continuing, "so they're fighting a lot at the moment, Mother has kicked Father out of the main bedroom and he's sleeping in one of the guestrooms at the moment."

She had to stop her story when a waitress came over to take their orders but once that was out of the way she continued.

"That's not what the problem is, the problem is that Mother will do anything to have money again, and what with your parents being separated at the moment, Mother has set her sights on Lucius." She paused before finishing by saying "I just thought I should let you know."

Draco paused to think for a moment then shrugged his shoulders, "I don't really care what the old man gets up to, if he sleeps around with other women the easier the divorce will be on my mother. It's been really hard on her, at first she was so angry that she didn't feel upset at all about their relationship failing, but now I think she is having second thoughts, she is still angry at him for what he's done, but you have to remember that she used to hold the same values, and so she can almost understand and accept his reasoning." Draco explained as the waitress returned with their orders and placed their plates of food in front of them.

He took a mouthful of his pie before continuing, "I've been receiving owls from Father, and while I haven't actually read any of them, I think that he wants forgiveness. Family has always meant a lot to him, my mother wanting to get a divorce would have deeply hurt him, so I don't think your mother will have a chance, at least until he has tried all he can to keep Mother from going through with the divorce; he won't do anything to upset Mother any more than he already has if he is trying to persuade her to change her mind. He's never had an affair in all the years of their marriage" Draco paused, "that I know of anyway; I don't think he will start now."

Pansy nodded in understanding and they continued to chat while they finished off their meals.

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Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	22. Confrontation

**Disclaimer: I'm not JK Rowling and I do not own the rights to these characters... I just like playing with them from time to time :)**

So... it's been a while. I hope you can all forgive my absence and that some of you at least actually remember the rest of the story (I know I had to re read it myself a few times before I could continue writing!)

As those of you who read my other fic, Draco's Prisoner, will know, I've challenged myself to finish both my incomplete stories, so hopefully you'll be seeing at least a chapter a month from me until they're both done. I may need you to hold me to it, so feel free to pester me with PMs if I'm late uploading a chapter! I'll try to alternate which story I update so that neither gets neglected again.

Since you've waited so patiently - or not so patiently in some cases :p - I figured you deserved a reward... enjoy ;)

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**Chapter Twenty Two**

When Draco arrived home Hermione told him about her encounter with Lucius at the Hospital. His first reaction was to make sure Hermione was ok, and that Lucius hadn't hurt or scared her, but once he'd ensured that she was fine he was mad; the nerve of his father, confronting Hermione and asking for _forgiveness_ after killing their unborn son! How could you ever forgive someone for that? Maybe if it had been accidental, but there had been nothing accidental about the curse Lucius had cast... spur of the moment and unplanned, maybe, but it definitely wasn't accidental. There was no way Draco was ever letting his father back into his life, let alone near Hermione and his surviving child – he would do everything he could to ensure the safety of both of Hermione and their daughter and that meant not allowing Lucius near them. Ever. He needed to let Lucius know in no uncertain terms that he would never be part of Draco's new family and that he needed to stay the hell away from the people he loved. Draco disapparated suddenly from his home in muggle London, appearing inside the grounds of Malfoy Manor a moment later, without a single word to Hermione about where he was going.

Draco strode through the hallways of the grand manor with purpose, his anger only growing deeper the more he thought about his father's actions. He didn't pause outside the doors to father's study or knock as he usually would have, he simply pushed open the heavy double doors and strode into the room, his anger plain on his face. At some point, he wasn't sure when, he had drawn his wand and when he saw his father behind the huge mahogany desk he drew his arm up, pointing his wand directly into his father's shocked face. For a moment he was too mad to say anything so he stood there for a moment, his breath laboured and shaky.

"How. Dare. You?" He started , emphasising each word. "How dare you come near my family after what you've done already?" He questioned, continuing "You will not be seeing, or speaking with, Hermione. Ever. Again." He spoke clearly despite his clenched teeth. "DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" He spoke slowly, his voice shaking slightly with rage as he demanded an answer from Lucius. His father was silent, still shocked by the sudden presence of his son, but after a moment he composed himself, clearing his throat.

"If staying away from Hermione is what I have to do to regain you and your mothers trust, then that's what I'll do." He answered almost pleadingly.

Draco laughed, "Regain our trust? Oh no, you lost any form of trust or respect forever the day you decided to hurt my family; the day you murdered your own grandson". Draco took a shaky breath before continuing, "You'll stay away from Hermione and my daughter so that you can continue to enjoy the luxury of having a heart that beats and lungs that breath." He raised an eyebrow at his father, questioning his understanding of the situation.

Lucius looked almost hurt for a moment before his gaze hardened, "I will have my family back together, Draco. I don't care what I have to do to make it happen. That's all I ever cared about; everything I ever did was to protect my family."

Draco scoffed, "Tell that to all my unborn siblings. You know, the ones you murdered?!"

"Do you know how many witches die in childbirth, Draco?" Lucius asked his son, before answering his own question, "A lot more than you might expect. Your mother almost died giving birth to you, Draco" He explained, "and for the first few years after you born she was constantly unwell. You and your mother were all the family I needed; the risk of losing your mother for second child was not a risk I was willing to take."

Draco quirked his eyebrows in disbelief, "And how, may I ask, do you fit the murder of _my_ unborn child into to this fucked up explanation?"

Lucius sighed, "I don't suppose I can. It was an attempt, however misguided, to retain our family's pride, the Malfoy – and the Black – bloodline has _always_ been pure; the idea of a halfblood child marring our family's pedigree was not one I liked, and the idea that the Malfoy fortunes would go to an illegitimate child ... I mean, could you imagine if Granger decided to give the child her last name? A 'Granger,' heir to the Malfoy fortune; it was unthinkable." Lucius wore a look of disgust on his face as he considered this possibility.

"You know what?" Draco replied, "I actually believe that your logic is so twisted that you probably actually believe that. But it doesn't matter what fucked up reasoning you use to try and explain your actions away. It doesn't change the fact that I will kill you if you _ever_ hurt the people I love again." And with that final threat, Draco disapparated back home; if possible, he was even angrier with his father than he was when he left. As soon as he was home his wand dropped from his hand and he sunk down onto the floor, exhausted.

Hermione heard the pop of apparition and rushed to find out where Draco had disappeared off to.

"Draco! Where have you been?" She called out to him before she got to the lounge room, when she stepped through the doorway and saw him kneeling on the floor she gasped and rushed to kneel beside him. "Are you ok? What happened?" She picked up his wand and directed him to get up and sit down on one of the couches. She set Draco's wand down on the table in front of him and flicked her own wand towards the kitchen, a glass of water appearing a moment later floating towards them. Draco sighed and leaned back against the couch cushions taking a sip of water and waving off Hermione's concern. "I'm fine, really." He assured her, "I'm just so angry with my father! It's like I keep expecting him to simply be sorry and admit that all the horrible things he's done were mistakes, and that he'd take them back if he could. But every time he has a chance to apologise he comes up with all these flimsy excuses for the things he's done; every time he apologises it makes it clearer that he's not sorry at all for what he's done, he's only sorry that consequences of his actions weren't what he was hoping for." Draco sighed; he knew that he would never forgive his father no matter what form his apology took, so he didn't know why he was still getting upset over his father's lack of sincerity. "The fact that he's not really sorry for his actions makes me scared that he'll try to hurt our daughter again." He looked into Hermione's concerned eyes, "I won't let anyone to hurt you, Hermione," he dropped his gaze, pushing his hands under her t-shirt to rest on swollen stomach, "either of you." The depth of feeling Draco felt for Hermione still surprised him; he looked up to her face again and knew without a doubt that there was nothing he wouldn't do for this woman.

"I know, Draco" Hermione whispered gazing up into Draco's eyes as he leaned in to press his lips against hers. She closed her eyes and threaded her fingers through his hair as he cupped her face with his right hand, his left sliding around her stomach to the small of her back, drawing her closer. The kiss grew deeper and Draco groaned the feel of her warm skin under his hands and her soft lips against his, he moved his hand up to cup the back of her head and he realised that he'd even come to love her unruly tangle of hair.

There was no rush; they both took their time exploring each other, hands sliding over warm skin as they removed each other's clothing. Once the barrier of their clothing was removed, Draco pushed Hermione back to lie on couch and sat back to admire her. Hermione blushed as his gaze lingered on her nude form, heat coiling within her as she watched his eyes darken with lust. Draco moved back on the couch further and bent down to brush kisses over her stomach, she parted her legs for him as he moved lower lightly kissing along her inner thighs only moving his attentions to her centre when she arched her hips with need.

Hermione pushed herself up onto her elbows to watch him work between her legs, his tongue alternating between making long slow strokes over her clit and delving inside her. He pushed two long fingers inside her and quickened his pace as her need grew, her hips thrusting towards him as he flicked his tongue backwards and forwards over her clit. He bent his fingers as he moved them inside her rubbing against just the right spot until she was writhing beneath him. He didn't stop even as he felt her come, merely slowing his pace and lightening the pressure of his tongue, drawing out her pleasure until she cried out in beautiful agony, her inner walls clenching around his fingers making Draco groan with need.

He was throbbing with the need to be inside her and he grasped Hermione by the small of back, pulling her up so she was straddling his thighs. Their lips met as Hermione sank onto him, she could taste her pleasure on his lips and tongue their moans mingling as she arched her back, pushing him deeper inside her. Draco could still feel the aftershocks of her orgasm, her muscles tightening maddeningly around him as her sensitive clit brushed against him with each thrust. His body grew impatient with the slow pace and his hips bucked meeting her downward thrust causing Hermione's breath to hitch, she reached down between them pressing her fingers against her pleasure centre, flicking her fingers lightly she pushed herself over the edge and she came again moaning against Draco's neck. The feeling of her body clamping tightly around him was too much and Draco couldn't hold on any longer; he jerked, his seed spilling into her pulsing body. Draco pressed his lips against her forehead before disentangling themselves from each other and sitting up to get dressed.

They had only just finished pulling on their clothes when Narcissa walked through the front door, causing them both to flush and take a step away from each other guiltily, both immensely glad she hadn't walked in a few minutes earlier. Draco's mother raised her eyebrows at the two of them taking in their flushed cheeks with a knowing smile, "Hermione, Dear, your t-shirt's on inside out." she said simply before sweeping through the room towards the hallway and the guest bedroom where she was staying.

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I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I hope you're excited that I'm updating again! - I'm certainly enjoying getting back into writing!

Let me know what you thought!

Casey,

xoxo


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